Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure a Northerner succeeds him in office or have power return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Kalu gave the advises in a statement he posted on Facebook Sunday morning while reacting to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the opposition party for the exalted office.

He argued that with the emergence of Mr Abubakar who is from the North-East, a region that has not produced president like the South-East since the return of democracy in 1999, power shift to the Southern part of the country should be jettisoned if the ruling party wants to retain power.

He reiterated that the party should micro-zone its ticket to the North-East where the APC has Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as its sole aspirant.

“Congratulations to the PDP for electing a North Easterner,” the Abia North lawmaker said. “Nigerians must have seen what I saw yesterday. For our party the APC, it is no longer feasible to talk about Southern candidates except the APC want to go on political retirement.

“I urge the National Chairman of the party and the entire NWC to stamp their feet and zone APC presidential ticket to the North East .

“President Muhammad Buhari has a right to choose his successor and I call on him to pick Senator Ahmad Lawan as his successor. In every democratic setting, presidents and Governors support and pick their successors. I call on President Buhari to pick a successor from the North East and that will be the equity the South East needs. With the North East , the cycle will be closest to completion of regions producing the president of Nigeria.

“By now , all APC aspirants should drop their ambition and support a North Easterner. Senator Ahmad Lawan is the destination,” he added.