There may be a beam of hope for popular politicians from the northern part of Nigeria who have shown interest to run for president in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party as the party says it may drop its zoning culture and throw the presidential primary open to all eligible members from all over the country. PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Ibrahim, on Friday, unequivocally said the leadership of the party was considering scrapping the idea of zoning for the 2023 Presidency. Ibrahim, who spoke in an interview with Arise News monitored by The PUNCH, also said the PDP won’t wait for the All Progressives Congress before taking a decision on zoning or otherwise for the 2023 Presidency. Northern PDP chieftains who have shown interest in getting the party’s 2023 presidential ticket include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; and ex-governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso. While some of them had yet to officially declare their presidential bid, there are strong indications they are eyeing the exalted seat in Aso Villa. With just about one year to the 2023 presidential election and a few months to the party primaries, there has been intense pressure from the southern region of the country for power shift to the region from the north. The 17 southern governors and socio-political groups including Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum and the Middle Belt Forum had constantly insisted that power moved to the south in 2023 after the eight-year regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who is from Katsina State. The groups had declared that political parties that field northern presidential candidates won’t enjoy their support in the 2023 general elections. Also, foremost Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, recently urged northern presidential aspirants to reconsider their ambition to avoid “chaos” in the country. Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 after the dark years of military despotism, power had swung between the North and the South. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (Southerner from Ogun State) was in office from May 1999 to May 2007 on the platform of the PDP while the late Umaru Yar’Adua from Katsina State in Northern Nigeria, also on the platform of the PDP, had a short stint in Aso Rock from May 2007 until his death in May 2010 after battling with an ailment. Upon his passing, he was succeeded by his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The PDP chieftain and former governor of Bayelsa State from Southern Nigeria contested the 2011 presidential election and returned to office. Jonathan was, however, kicked out in May 2015 when he lost his reelection bid to Katsina-born Buhari of the All Progressives Congress who has since been in power and would complete an eight-year term by May 2023. In its history, the PDP has zoned four of its six presidential tickets to southerners since 1999 – two to Obasanjo in 1999 and 2003, and two to Jonathan in 2011 and 2015; while the two others have gone to northerners – Yar’Adua in 2007 and Atiku in 2019. So far, southerners have been in office for a total number of 13 years while northerners would have spent 11 years in Aso Rock when Buhari completes his second term in May 2023. Many politicians of northern extraction had argued for the need to balance the number of years that both the north and south stayed in power while southern political godfathers and strongmen have vigorously continued to displace the argument, insisting that the presidency should move to the south in 2023 after Buhari’s double term. The arguments had at various times led to strong verbal altercations and exchange of expletives between southern politicians and northern bigwigs. Speaking on the television programme on Friday, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary (Ibrahim) said the PDP is treading softly to ensure all interests are accommodated before the party comes up with a decision on its zoning culture. Ibrahim said, “The haste with which people are just expecting us to declare zoning now, there are processes of consultations and engagements which is ongoing. We just have in place a National Working Committee which is barely two months in office. What it is doing now is to aggregate all the contending forces and interests and all the divergent views of Nigerians and come up with an informed decision as to where the Presidency will be zoned accordingly.” According to the PDP chieftain, zoning is to strengthen unity and mutual cohesion because Nigeria is heterogenous in nature hence the need to allocate responsibilities accordingly. He said, “It is only PDP that has realised the need to zone these offices and rotate them accordingly so that every interest, every region and every contending force within the country will feel among.” Asked whether the PDP is thinking of jettisoning the idea of zoning, Ibrahim said, “It is on the table and it is a factor that is taken very seriously. We’re beginning to look at all of these interests and all of these clamour to see how we will make an informed decision at the fullness of time. It is not something we will want to do unilaterally, we will take national interest and divergent views of Nigerians in coming up with decisions. That is why we are not rushing things.” On why the National Executive Council of the PDP has not taken a decision on the Governor Bala Mohammed report that the presidential ticket be left open to all interested aspirants, the PDP deputy national publicity secretary said consultation is ongoing. Aside from northern politicians, some southern stalwarts of the PDP including former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose; ex-governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; media personality, Dele Momodu, amongst others have also expressed interest in clinching the party’s

  South-East Govs should send back Almajiris imported to East ― Ezeife By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja A coalition of youth groups in the 19 Northern States and the FCT, under the aegis of Arewa Youth Federation (AYF) said on Saturday that for the sake of fairness, justice and equity, power should return to the south, particularly to the southeast region in 2023. This is even as a former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, faulted the suspicion that Igbo politicians could not be trusted with power, perhaps for the fear of Biafra secession. The Arewa youths spoke when they met with members of the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum during an advocacy visit to Ezeife’s Abuja residence. The Arewa youths President-General, Alhaji Aminu Mohammed (Kano), stressed that there was a need for fairness in the country, adding that marginalisation and widespread poverty had become the loudest cry among Nigerians. According to him, one of the pathways to ending the pervasive insecurity and mutual suspicion in the land was for fairness to reign, especially in the leadership of the nation. He said, “The Igbos, from day one, have been marginalised. From the series of post-independence military coups to the popping of Shagari’s regime, it has been the South-west and the North (leading the country), but Nigeria was formed by the Yorubas, Hausas, and Igbos. But as far as Nigeria’s economy is concerned, you cannot rule out the Igbos. However, these are the same people that are being marginalised. They were somewhat recognized in the first republic, relegated in the second republic, further relegated in the third republic, and then reduced to nothing in the fourth republic. “We, as Nigerians, are faced with the issue of insecurity, but shifting power to the Southeast will cure 80-90 percent of Nigeria’s insecurity. Any country that is not experiencing economic boom from the private sector will not make real progress. The Igbos have the power and spirit in them to even turn ‘sand’ to wealth. It is on this basis that we are solely calling for power shift to the Southeast. “If Nigeria is to remain as a sovereign nation and we truly crave unity and peace, then the power must be shifted to the Southeast in 2023. Only on the basis of this solid foundation can the unity, peace and security of the giant of Africa be restored. “We, the Northerners, see and identify the loops and recommend a solution which is to partner with our brothers from the Southeast to restore the lost glory of Nigeria.” In the same vein, another prominent member of the Arewa youth delegation, Barrister Bala Abdulmalik, said the meeting was to also express the Igbo Elders Consultative Council led by ex-governor Ezeife for their uninhibited disposition against maladministration of the country over the years and to strengthen the advocacy for the emergence of a Nigerian leader of Igbo extraction in 2023. According to him, “Posterity will not be kind to us, if we are not here today to thank you for your vociferous stance against insecurity, maladministration, corruption, and mis-governance in this country.” “We want to use this medium to reinstate and reinforce our commitment to the progress, peace, security and unity of this country. We also want to use this medium reassure you categorically that as Northern youths that we are committed to power shift to the Southeastern part of this country. “Since our return to democracy, the Southwest and the North have had their turns at the presidency. So, it is equitable and in the interest of justice and peace of this country that Igbos should have their turn in 2023. That is the only way, we can say Nigeria is a just nation and our our leaders believe in justice and equity.” In his remarks, Ezeife said Nigeria will experience an explosive growth and development under an Igbo president. The octogenarian said, “It has become clear that the problem of Nigeria is with older politicians who have lost their consciences and are just plundering the treasury of the country. I thank you for telling the truth to everyone that power should shift to the Southeast, when it does, we shall engage in explosive growth and development of this country. “Thank you for fully endorsing power shift to the Southeast. You will not regret it. Nigeria will become what God destined it to be. Chief Edwin Clark and Ayo Adebanjo are people we should listen to, so that this country will move up. They are also singing it, as a song, that power should shift to the Southeast in 2023.” The elder statesman, nonetheless, harped on the need for a political solution to the Biafra agitation rather than carry-on as though the issues behind the demand for secession by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were inconsequential. “We (Igbos) are committed to Nigeria, but the present government has been behaving as though they want to push us out of Nigeria, and our sons and young ones are crying. We must understand what IPOB is doing,” he said. Speaking further on the controversial issue of secession by the south-east, Ezeife categorically said: “We (Igbos) don’t want to quit Nigeria. We are not going to quit Nigeria for any person. We built up this country. We are going to stay in this country to make it a powerhouse.” Others at the event included two former Ministers of Education; Profs. Fabian Osuji and S. C Madubuike; Secretary-General of Ime-Obi Ohanaeze, Prof. Charles Nwekeaku; among several leading Igbo scholars and traditional title holders.

  Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has expressed doubts on ex-President Goodluck Jonathan being a member of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Jonathan has been a member of the PDP since 1999 but recently, the immediate past president has been absent at major activities of the party, including the convention of the PDP where Senator Iyoricha Ayu was elected National Chairman. As a sitting president, Jonathan lost his reelection bid to President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He had conceded the election, playing the role of a mediator in troubled West African countries. However, there are reports that the ruling APC is considering fielding him as its presidential candidate in 2023. Jonathan has been paying frequent visits to Buhari at Aso Rock, holding private discussions. The hobnobbing of the duo and Jonathan’s hosting of APC leaders at his residence had led to a public exchange between PDP leaders and those of the ruling party. While the PDP accused APC of attempting to woo Jonathan, the APC said the former president is free to contest on its platform in 2023. The former president was not at the convention of the PDP where Senator Iyoricha Ayu was elected National Chairman. In a BBC interview where Lamido was asked if Jonathan is still a member of the PDP, the former governor said, “I doubt it; he has not been attending recent activities of our party.” Lamido also opened up on the recent visit of PDP leaders to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying they were there to discuss ways of find a lasting solutions to the problems of the country. He said, “Since the coming of Buhari’s administration Nigeria has not be itself as all the foundations for development laid down by PDP are all destroyed by this government. “We have no peace, no unity, no integrity, no trust and there is abject poverty and we want to change these things. So that is why we decided to go and meet Obasanjo and we did so. We spent at least two hours discussing with him.”

  The Congress for Civil Society Groups, Abia chapter, has insisted that power must shift to Abia North Senatorial zone in line with the rotational practice of the State. The Coordinator of the group, Comrade Damian Ogudike, said this during an interactive session with journalist in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Saturday. He said power returning to Abia North was sacrosanct, noting that it is the only way to ensure peace, justice and fairness in the state. He said Orji Uzor Kalu from Abia North in 1999 took the first slot, followed by Theodore Orji from Central Senatorial zone and now Dr. Victor Ikpeazu from Abia South Senatorial zone. He said by May 2023, Dr. Ikpeazu’s eight years tenure would expired, marking the end of Abia South, thereby completing the circles of rotation among the three zones. Ogudike said that with the completion of the circles ,the slot automatically move back to Abia North Senatorial zone. He regretted that some politicians, from both South and Central zones, were indicating interest to contest the Governorship position. He also urged politicians outside the North Senatorial zone to shelve their governorship ambition to allow peace to reign. Ogudike also argued that if Ndigbo is seeking for the highest political office in the land to be zoned to south east for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, Abia state should not jettison rotation of governorship position. He contended that the established zoning formula has brought peace and created conducive environment for the rapid political and socio -economic development.