A group known as ConcernedI Arewa Civil Society Organizations Of Nigeria reiterated their stand on supporting a southern President come 2023
The group which has also collaborated the stand if other northern groups stated that it was for Justice, equity and fairness.
The group which has over 45 reputable Civil Society groups from within the Northern extraction with voting capacity that cuts across all the polling units, wards and Local Government Areas in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory converged in their numbers in Kaduna.
During it’s World Press Conference held in Kaduna, the group stated that, “We converge here today at Arewa House to write another history of Nigeria where patriotic Northern Youths are calling for Southern candidate. This is to sustain our political friendship with the people of Southern Nigeria.
While addressing the media, the spokesperson of the group, Comrade Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem, said, “Equity and justice are the bane of development in any sane society. Since the first Republic power is being rotated between South and North. Unfortunately, in 2007 when the power was shifted to the North after two years President Umaru Musa Yar’adua of blessed memory died, this created a vacuum and resulted to so many agitations by Northern stakeholders that the North must complete their 8-years term as President Obasanjo did. Since the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is supreme and has a way of succession and emergence of leadership Jonathan as the Vice President was constitutionally sworn-in to be the President of Nigeria.
“In the heat towards the 2011 elections, many Northern stakeholders agitated that power must return to the North, but for national unity and Jonathan being a minority from oil-rich Niger-Delta region of Nigeria and which had never produced the President of the country, our stakeholders in the North advised to allow him go for another four years term which will have completed the joint ticket of him and late President Yar’adua.
“In 2015, after realizing President Jonathan was not ready to relinquish power, Northern stakeholders with the support of many progressive Southerners who believed in Unity and Fairness, truncated Jonathan’s second bid while President Muhammadu Buhari was elected and will complete his 8 years tenure by 2023.
“There is a wise saying that, “What is good for the goose is good for the gander” It’s important, though, it’s not the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we have to respect our integration, brotherhood and unity. It’s for the sake of our national unity that we are standing today and declare that power should be shifted to the South for the spirit of oneness, equity, justice, fairness and equal opportunities.
‘Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914 with an agreement that the country belongs to all irrespective of ethnicity, religion or region. For those who are beating the drum of hatred and division, trying to cause chaos and war in our dear nation because they benefit from a disunited Nigeria, we are watching and this will be a nightmare to all of them.
The group affirmed that all political parties should zone their Presidential candidates to the south while warning that any party that refuses to do so, will see the teaming youths from the north being mobilized to campaign against it.
“We the Arewa Concerned Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria in the spirit of building our desired nation and our continued existence as an entity, also not jettisoning the principles of power balance and fairness calls for the total support of Presidency to the Southern part of the country. We have no other country than Nigeria and we will not sit down and see our country disintegrate due to the selfish desires of some individuals that think the Presidency is their birthright of a particular region. Any Northerner contesting President will be regarded as an agent of disunity and enemy of the nation.
“The South West is also a beneficiary of the benevolence of Nigerians who supported their first bid for an 8years Presidency and Vice President for yet another 8 years should also be willing to relinquish the position in the spirit of togetherness and nation-building.
“Our hope, dreams and prayers are for an Igbo man to emerge as President 2023, more preferably, a private sector player, a technocrat and a detribalised Nigerian with rich experience in managing the economy for peace, progress and prosperity.
“We have agreed to melt their interest in one pot and insist on the power to be transferred to Southern Part of the Country in 2023 and we call on our Southern people to drive this opportunity and support their own and also respect power rotation after 8 years.
“We reaffirm our previous stand that we will not support any Northerner as Successor of President Mohammed Buhari in 2023 for the sake of National Unity. This will help to build trust and heal the wounds.
“We therefore categorically say no to any Northern candidate and should Incase any Northern candidate show interest, he/she will never get our support and we shall frustrate such selfish ambition that we believe is even dead before arrival.
We know power comes from God and God never allows injustice, greed and selfishness to rule our land. We will make or mar any candidate who has the unity of Nigeria at heart and vice versa. Daily Independent.