2023: Northern Elders Knock Southern Governors Over Zoning

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has rejected the position of the
Southern governors that the South should produce the President come
2023.

According to the Forum, the North would not be compelled into
yielding a democratically elected office.

The Northern Elders Forum through its Director of Publicity and
Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, observed that as far as the North
was concerned, the idea that it would be indirectly threatened or
intimidated or blackmailed into yielding an office which ought to
be settled democratically is not acceptable.

The NEF sees the decision of the southern governors as an
expression of sentiment that could be best discussed within a
political process.

According to the forum, “We are running a democratic government
and decisions over where the next president comes from are
basically decisions that will be made by voters exercising their
rights to choose which candidate best serves their interest.”

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed explained that the southern governors come
from the two dominant parties: APC and PDP, saying that they must
have some influence in those parties.

He noted that the way it should be done was that the southern
governors should influence their parties to zone the presidency to
southern states and then work to convince Nigerian voters from all
parts of the country to vote for that candidate.

He opined that the democratic rights of Nigerian citizens to
vote for a candidate cannot be snatched by threats or intimidation,
stressing that politicians were becoming very lazy to think they
will be given leadership in a manner that suggests an
ultimatum.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has rejected the position of the
Southern governors that the South should produce the President come
2023.

According to the Forum, the North would not be compelled into
yielding a democratically elected office.

The Northern Elders Forum through its Director of Publicity and
Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, observed that as far as the North
was concerned, the idea that it would be indirectly threatened or
intimidated or blackmailed into yielding an office which ought to
be settled democratically is not acceptable.

The NEF sees the decision of the southern governors as an
expression of sentiment that could be best discussed within a
political process.

According to the forum, “We are running a democratic government
and decisions over where the next president comes from are
basically decisions that will be made by voters exercising their
rights to choose which candidate best serves their interest.”

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed explained that the southern governors come
from the two dominant parties: APC and PDP, saying that they must
have some influence in those parties.

He noted that the way it should be done was that the southern
governors should influence their parties to zone the presidency to
southern states and then work to convince Nigerian voters from all
parts of the country to vote for that candidate.

He opined that the democratic rights of Nigerian citizens to
vote for a candidate cannot be snatched by threats or intimidation,
stressing that politicians were becoming very lazy to think they
will be given leadership in a manner that suggests an
ultimatum.