The recent demand by some South East leaders for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition platform, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone their 2023 presidential ticket to the geo-political zone has elicited divergent views from leaders of other regions in the country.
The agitation has also opened up a fresh national debate over the parameters upon which the next president of the country should emerge.
The call by the South East leaders for an Igbo presidency is coming against the backdrop of the raging debate over power shift to the South on the one hand and the clamour for the next president to emerge based on merit and not zoning.
While the apex socio-cultural organisation in the North, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has said that it would only support a candidate who understands the problems in North, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) noted that competence would be its defining benchmark on how the next president will emerge.
Also, while leaders from the North Central zone have insisted that their region is best suited to occupy the presidency because it has not tested the presidency in a civilian setting, South West leaders maintain that their zone must produce the next president.
Meanwhile, governors from the South East distanced themselves from calls for an Igbo presidency by leaders of the zone, stressing that they were not carried along in the meeting where the resolution was made.
Last week, some leaders of the South East, including the Senate chief whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, former deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, among others, had at a meeting in Igbere, Abia State, asked the APC and PDP to zone their presidential tickets to the zone in the interest of fairness.
On its part, the Association of Middle Belt Ethnic Nationalities (ASOMBEN) declared that the Southeast region cannot deliver a presidential candidate in 2023, just as he called on the APC not to zone its presidential ticket to the region.
Secretary-general of ASOMBEN, Rev James Pam, said the South East gave President Muhammadu Buhari only five per cent of their votes in 2015 and only managed to win the Imo State governorship election in a controversial Supreme Court judgment.
According to him, South East has the least number of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives with only five states among the six geo-political zones, adding that if the presidency is to be donated to any zone, it should be the North Central.
“North Central is the only zone that has never produced a democratically elected president or vice president in Nigeria,” he said.
Pam, however, called for jettisoning of the current constitution which he said was imposed by the military.
He said a truly people’s constitution should be adopted via referendum before the 2023 elections, adding that the 1999 constitution is the source of all problems in Nigeria.
“Politicians should, therefore, concentrate on achieving this within the next 12 to 18 months and suspend politicking for now. The three southern zones and the middle belt people proclaimed a constitutional force majeure on the 1999 constitution on 16/12/2020 and have given the federal government 90 days within which to kick start the process of dismantling the present constitution,” Pam said.
Also reacting to the call by the South East leaders, the ACF said even though it will not interfere in the process of how candidates of political parties would emerge in 2023, parties should prioritise competence.
ACF noted that it will rather go for a candidate who understands the problems facing the North and and the entire country.
The national publicity secretary of the apex northern forum, Mr Emmanuel Yawe said, “The ACF will not impose a zone or a candidate on any political party. The constitution says only political parties can present candidates at elections.
“The ACF will also not interfere with the process of how the political parties arrive at their candidates. We only hope that given the declining quality of leadership, what should be uppermost in the minds of kingmakers in the various political parties should be competence and not sentiments.
“The ACF draws membership from northerners of every political association and affiliation. For us to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties will amount to biting more than we can chew. The political parties are many and so are their problems.
“But if the various political parties resolve their internal contradictions, the ACF will subject each of them to scrutiny. We will then throw our weight behind the candidate that understands the problems facing the north and Nigeria of today”.
On its part, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) said as far as the 2023 presidential election was concerned, quality and competence will be its benchmark.
The director, Advocacy and Publicity of the forum, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said, “NEF recognises a number of key considerations which should inform the emergence of leaders at all levels. The first is the imperative of quality and qualification and competence of all Nigerians who would aspire to lead. This requirement should not be sacrificed or compromised for political conveniences.
“Fortunately, Nigerians with these qualities exist in all parts of the country. Secondly, the political process must be respected as the principal mechanism for deciding who is entrusted with power. Key elements of this process include negotiation, persuasion and consensus building among the political elite and involvement of all Nigerians.
“Threats and attempts to blackmail have no place in this process. Thirdly, we need to remind ourselves that it is voters, not just politicians, who will decide who leads them. Discussions about rotation must accord the voter the respect he deserves.
“NEF believes that ethnicising leadership lowers and compromises its quality. Inclusiveness and fairness are vital to the survival of our democracy and nation. These can best be captured by the manner politicians and communities which make up our nation engage each other in a constructive and responsible manner.
“Above all, NEF advises the nation to avoid damaging arguments about rotation as an end in itself, and see it as a vital means to an end, which is the emergence of quality leadership and inclusive governance”.
On its part, the North Central People’s Forum (NCPF) said it has as much right to demand the presidential tickets of APC and PDP in 2023 as the South East leaders.
The publicity secretary of the forum, Hon Sule Audu, said even though the South East is entitled to vie for the office of the presidency in 2023, the North Central is more favoured if the ticket is zoned to the North.
“If you look at it geographically, and based on the zoning system in the country today, the South East has never produced the president of this country, the same thing with the North Central, although the South East had Aguiyi Ironsi and Nnamdi Azikwe.
“I will put it that Azikiwe was an elected civilian president while Ironsi was a military Head of State, just as we have Gen Ibrahim Babangida and Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar in the North Central.
“So I think going by this, it won’t be wrong or out of place for the North Central to also demand for the president come 2023 because before the creation of the six geopolitical zones, Nigeria was divided into two regions, the North and the South.
“But now we have six zones which are South South, North Central, South West, North East, South East and North West. The South produced Goodluck Jonathan while the South West produced Olusegun Obasanjo who was a military Head of State as well as elected president. So, if the South West has produced both the Head of State and elected president, it is not wise for them to demand for the slot again.
“However, the North Central and South East have the right to demand for the slot of president because if you look at the balancing of the equation, the North West had produced three elected presidents; Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Umar Yar’Adua and the current president Muhammadu Buhari and two military presidents of Murtala Mohammed and Gen Sani Abacha”.
According to Audu, the North East only had the former premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who was from Bauchi while the Sadauna of Sokoto was the premier of Nigeria.
“So on the whole, the three zones have the right to demand for president, but to be more favourable, it should be the North Central. If it is the turn of the North Central, anyone coming out to contest for the office of the president from the South West and North West is a spoiler”.
However, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere and a political group, Yoruba Patriots Movement (YPM), have insisted that the South West geopolitical zone must produce the next president to avert a crisis in the country.
The secretary-general of Afenifere, Bayo Aina, said Yoruba people realised it is only the APC that can give Yoruba candidates a ticket.
Speaking also, the publicity secretary of Afenifere in Ekiti State, Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae, said the call by Igbo leaders was a mere wishful thinking.
He said, “The presidency is beyond mere sharing among communities,” stressing that calls for major political parties in the country to allow the zone to produce their presidential candidates for the poll “is at the best a wish”.
Akin-Fasae continued: “Though at the end of the exercise, it will be community based and will follow the basic political parameters in accordance with the wishes of political parties.
“It will be inappropriate for none social cultural groups whose partisanship is known across the nation to order any party which they have never supported to zone their presidential candidates to them”.
He added that Yoruba people are ready to support a candidate from the region regardless of political affiliation, noting that “Yoruba candidates are the only solution to Nigeria problems.”
On his part, the YPM national coordinator, Mr Oladosu Oladipo, said anything aside Yoruba president in 2023 would not be tolerated.
He argued that the constitution of the country only recognises three regions: the North, West and East.
“Obasanjo represented Yoruba, Jonathan had done for the East, while Buhari is doing the slot of the North,” Oladipo added.
He further advised members of the APC to honour the pre-2015 elections agreement to ensure fairness and equity.
“You cannot be a good Nigerian without being a good Yoruba man. Our fair share must be given to us in Nigeria. This summit is not partisan but political,” he said.
Also, stakeholder of the Middle Belt Youth Forum and the gubernatorial candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Plateau State in 2019, Comrade John Pofi, urged Nigerians to look for the best candidate from any region to lead the country.
He argued that persons with capacity to take Nigeria out of the economic struggles should be key.
However, a founding member of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF) and former provost marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Idada Ikponmwen (rtd), said the agitation for the nation’s number one seat to be zoned to the South East was timely and a reflection of the nation’s federal character.
Idada, however, posited that the people of the region must come out to demonstrate and convince other Nigerians that they have someone who will be acceptable to all segments of the country.
“To me it doesn’t look as complicated as many people may think. The issues of zoning can be seen as a measure to equitably share power to the various components or zones of this country. It does make sense because it reflects the issue of federal character in representation of government,” he said.
Also, a human rights activists and public affairs analysts in Sokoto State, Ibrahim Adamu Tudun Doki, said zoning the presidency to the South East in 2023 would not be a bad idea for a unified country.
According to him, the agitation for both APC and PDP to zone the presidency to South East is welcome development, adding that the region is marginalised.

S/East Governors Dissociate Selves
Meanmwhile, in what could pass for a spanner in the works for the clamour for Igbo presidency, the South East Governor’s Forum has disassociated itself from the position of the leaders calling on political parties to zone the presidential ticket to the region.
Speaking through their chairman who is also the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, the governors said they are not party to such agitation.
Umahi said if there should be such a meeting, the governors must be seen to be informed and be part and parcel of it.
According to him, there are so many desperate politicians in all the political parties that have aligned themselves with some alleged bandits to destabilise the nation.
But a chieftain of the Ohaneze Ndigbo in Umuahia, Abia State, Chief Magnus Ochiabuto backed the demand of the Igbo leaders for Southeast presidency.
Commending the organisers of the meeting for the effort, Ochiabuto argued that it was unthinkable that 21 years after the current democratic dispensation, some people are still holding the thought that an easterner should not occupy the top seat.
Another member of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Madam Winifred Uduma, who backed the call for South East presidency in 2023, recounted how her husband struggled to validate the mandate of the late MKO Abiola in 1993 in Lagos State, adding that she stands with the South East leaders for an Igbo man to be president in 2023.
https://leadership.ng/2023-calls-for-igbo-presidency-spark-national-debate/?amp=1

National debate ko, national debate ni

I really pity the Igbos.
No tribe should be sidelined from been at the helms of affairs of a nation they belong to.
However, you can see the different groups and separate selfish intentions they have.
They are never united to speak in one voice.
Presently have no political leader to Co ordinate and present a common front with credible candidates in the right party.
Aligning with the wrong association, always give them a major setback at all times.
Since they yet to learn from past mistakes, they seem contended been relegated in the background.

Leave Igbo president aside.Restructure or disintegration this false contraption of Lord Lugard.

yinkus6750:
I really pity the Igbos.
No tribe should be sidelined from been at the helms of affairs of a nation they belong to.
However, you can see the different groups and separate selfish intentions they have.
They are never united to speak in one voice.
Presently have no political leader to Co ordinate and present a common front with credible candidates in the right party.
Aligning with the wrong association, always give them a major setback at all times.
Since they yet to learn from past mistakes, they seem contended been relegated in the background.

Which tribe in Nigeria is more United than Igbos ...just name 2

Yoruba1stson:
Nyamiris how far
no lefelendum no erection
you go wail till thy kingdom comes and still nothing for you, you are slaves.

Yet you have an emir ruling in your land

Only a slave master can appoint himself kind in his slaves kingdom like ilorin

Igbochief001:

Which tribe in Nigeria is more United than Igbos ...just name 2

Yorubas.
Benins
Fulanis
Ijaws
Sorry, I named four

Igbochief001:

Yet you have an emir ruling in your land

Only a slave master can appoint himself kind in his slaves kingdom like ilorin

You need education and enlightenment bros.

Emir or Amir means Lord in Arabic.

and since ilorin is a Muslim town, they're free to use Emir.
or you think Emir is related to Fulani or Hausa people?

While the apex socio-cultural organisation in the North, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has said that it would only support a candidate who understands the problems in North, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) noted that competence would be its defining benchmark on how the next president will emerge.

.Lol, useless statement, Buhari no understand the problems of the North?
or isn't he from the North

Meanwhile, governors from the South East distanced themselves from calls for an Igbo presidency by leaders of the zone, stressing that they were not carried along in the meeting where the resolution was made.

Gbam....

He added that Yoruba people are ready to support a candidate from the region regardless of political affiliation, noting that “Yoruba candidates are the only solution to Nigeria problems.”
On his part, the YPM national coordinator, Mr Oladosu Oladipo, said anything aside Yoruba president in 2023 would not be tolerated.
He argued that the constitution of the country only recognises three regions: the North, West and East.
“Obasanjo represented Yoruba, Jonathan had done for the East, while Buhari is doing the slot of the North,” Oladipo added.

Gbam, when we told some people, if nah Yoruba man dey contest, he'll get over 80% support irrespective of party. Them say nah lie.
Even the likes of Afenifere, OPC all of them would fall in line

Constitution only Recognizes Three Regions.
North (Old Northern region)
East (Old Eastern Region)
West (Old western region)

and so I hold
By the way, What's the meaning of democracy if you're telling some regions, they don't have business in contesting

the South East Governor’s Forum has disassociated itself from the position of the leaders calling on political parties to zone the presidential ticket to the region.
Speaking through their chairman who is also the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, the governors said they are not party to such agitation.
Umahi said if there should be such a meeting, the governors must be seen to be informed and be part and parcel of it.

Minus one region like that.
e remains South South and South west for the ticket.

Igbo presidency or biafra nothing more

When igbo brodas wake to talk sense that come 2023 no igbo president no nigeria

Top1gun:
Sparks national debate among fools n lunatic ba cos sensible Nigerians knows no Igbo is capable of gathering enough vote to become the president.

Name one Yoruba full that can rule Nigeria
Just name one...


Be like say Yoruba don too mouth for this nairaland politics...

It’s really been a while

Make we run am

I Dey wait yoruba man name...

Sammy07:


Yorubas.
Benins
Fulanis
Ijaws
Sorry, I named four

You need education and enlightenment bros.

Emir or Amir means Lord in Arabic.

and since ilorin is a Muslim town, they're free to use Emir.
or you think Emir is related to Fulani or Hausa people?

Iwo is a muslim town why don't they have emir ? Keep lying to yourself

Yorubas more United than Igbos ? ...remind me how u lost ilorin again ?

Or who were opposed to obj presidency ?

Awolowo vs akintola ..which tribe have killed themselves the way Yorubas killed themselves during this period ?

Who betrayed abiola ?

Which APC in south west is united ...lagos ? Osun ? Oyo ? Ekiti ? Ondo ? O please na don't disgrace yourself sir

Sammy07:

.Lol, useless statement, Buhari no understand the problems of the North?
or isn't he from the North


Gbam....


Gbam, when we told some people, if nah Yoruba man dey contest, he'll get over 80% support irrespective of party. Them say nah lie.
Even the likes of Afenifere, OPC all of them would fall in line

Constitution only Recognizes Three Regions.
North (Old Northern region)
East (Old Eastern Region)
West (Old western region)

and so I hold
By the way, What's the meaning of democracy if you're telling some regions, they don't have business in contesting



Minus one region like that.
e remains South South and South west for the ticket.

Yoruba gibberish .... so ignorant and yet proudly prouders..

See this one

Yoruba and “unity” word and opposite
Benin ke.. ishan and Benin fight no go end in two century

Blah blah gibberish

Igbochief001:

Iwo is a muslim town why don't they have emir ? Keep lying to yourself

Yorubas more United than Igbos ? ...remind me how u lost ilorin again ?

Or who were opposed to obj presidency ?

Awolowo vs akintola ..which tribe have killed themselves the way Yorubas killed themselves during this period ?

Who betrayed abiola ?

Which APC in south west is united ...lagos ? Osun ? Oyo ? Ekiti ? Ondo ? O please na don't disgrace yourself sir

He’s a Yoruba human.. wetin you expect... humans wey I too know don finish..


Nigeria Dey wait for them in 2023..

yinkus6750:
I really pity the Igbos.
No tribe should be sidelined from been at the helms of affairs of a nation they belong to.
However, you can see the different groups and separate selfish intentions they have.
They are never united to speak in one voice.
Presently have no political leader to Co ordinate and present a common front with credible candidates in the right party.
Aligning with the wrong association, always give them a major setback at all times.
Since they yet to learn from past mistakes, they seem contended been relegated in the background.

. Pity yourself buddy. Are you doing better than any Igbo man within your space?

Is yoruba sociocultural group not factionalized?

Afenifere renewal and the mainstream Afenifere group

Top1gun:
Sparks national debate among fools n lunatic ba cos sensible Nigerians knows no Igbo is capable of gathering enough vote to become the president.

How many votes did Obj gather in skull miners' land b4 other Nigerians gathered and made him president?

Ogbuu101:

How many votes did Obj gather in skull miners' land b4 other Nigerians gathered and made him president?

Obj na nationalist .. the last stock from Yoruba tribe ... reason why Nigerians made him president...
WALAHI .. that’s the last Yoruba President of Nigeria

Hold this I tell you.

Igbochief001:

Iwo is a muslim town why don't they have emir ? Keep lying to yourself

Yorubas more United than Igbos ? ...remind me how u lost ilorin again ?

Or who were opposed to obj presidency ?

Awolowo vs akintola ..which tribe have killed themselves the way Yorubas killed themselves during this period ?

Who betrayed abiola ?

Which APC in south west is united ...lagos ? Osun ? Oyo ? Ekiti ? Ondo ? O please na don't disgrace yourself sir

Oh, shut up please.
You should be the one not to disgrace yourself.
didn't I told you, you need enlightenment?

1. Iwo is a Muslim town, didn't you read when Oluwo says he wanna change his title to Emir?

Emir (Arabic) --- Lord
Alaafin (Yoruba) of Oyo - Owner / Lord of the palace of Oyo
Oba (Yoruba) ---- Lord over
Onikoyi (Yoruba) of ikoyi - Lord or Owner of Ikoyi.

hope you've seen the meanings

2. How we lost ilorin, Afonja invited Fulanis to help him fight alaafin so that he can be free, he wants to be independent.
Ilorin is a military outpost (I don't expect you to understand this cos you guys haven't fought war before).
It wasn't founded based on culture that's why it has Emir title from the onset.
hope you grab?

3. Don't mistake political fights to unity of a thing.

Who betrayed Peter Obi?
From 1999 to 2010, So no Igbo polician has been killed before Abi nah Yoruba kill am?
We read how a governor was kidnapped in the East, nah Yoruba people?

Yes Yoruba opposed to OBJ because we know he was a sootage for the Fulanis, and we were not wrong.

Sammy07:


Oh, shut up please.
You should be the one not to disgrace yourself.
didn't I told you, you need enlightenment?

1. Iwo is a Muslim town, didn't you read when Oluwo says he wanna change his title to Emir?

Emir (Arabic) --- Lord
Alaafin (Yoruba) of Oyo - Owner / Lord of the palace of Oyo
Oba (Yoruba) ---- Lord over
Onikoyi (Yoruba) of ikoyi - Lord or Owner of Ikoyi.

hope you've seen the meanings

2. How we lost ilorin, Afonja invited Fulanis to help him fight alaafin so that he can be free, he wants to be independent.
Ilorin is a military outpost (I don't expect you to understand this cos you guys haven't fought war before).
It wasn't founded based on culture that's why it has Emir title from the onset.
hope you grab?

3. Don't mistake political fights to unity of a thing.

Who betrayed Peter Obi?
From 1999 to 2010, So no Igbo polician has been killed before Abi nah Yoruba kill am?
We read how a governor was kidnapped in the East, nah Yoruba people?

Yes Yoruba opposed to OBJ because we know he was a sootage for the Fulanis, and we were not wrong.

Peter obi was betrayed ? The osibanjo was what ? Obi won his pooling unite did osibanjo ?

LMAO obi won all south east states did osibanjo win all yoruba states ?

Obi won anambra by over 80% what percentage did osibanjo win lagos n ogun state again


Yet u have the mouth to talk about unity

Akinda your leader said u would fight yourself for 100 years if u have your own nation ...and u are here talking about how Igbos are not united

Igbochief001:

Peter obi was betrayed ? The osibanjo was what ? Obi won his pooling unite did osibanjo ?

LMAO obi won all south east states did osibanjo win all yoruba states ?

Obi won anambra by over 80% what percentage did osibanjo win lagos n ogun state again


Yet u have the mouth to talk about unity

Akinda your leader said u would fight yourself for 100 years if u have your own nation ...and u are here talking about how Igbos are not united

You're letting your emotions run over you brother, you're beginning to say rubbish.

Yorubas are people who don't have stakes in one party.
We have stakes in many parties in case one don't work one will work.

Who doesn't know Igbo land is PDP? Why wouldn't Peter Obi win his Polling unit?

Tell me why OBJ didn't win his polling unit or tell me how many state OJOKWU a renowned igbo leader, won when he contested

Lol, so because Akintola said that it means it will be so.

This massob leader (I have forgotten his name, his name starts with U something), he said igbos are the foolish people in the world.
Does it mean he's correct
As per a leader?

Sammy07:


You're letting your emotions run over you brother, you're beginning to say rubbish.

Yorubas are people who don't have stakes in one party.
We have stakes in many parties in case one don't work one will work.

Who doesn't know Igbo land is PDP? Why wouldn't Peter Obi win his Polling unit?

Tell me why OBJ didn't win his polling unit or tell me how many state OJOKWU a renowned igbo leader, won when he contested

Lol, so because Akintola said that it means it will be so.

This massob leader (I have forgotten his name, his name starts with U something), he said igbos are the foolish people in the world.
Does it mean he's correct
As per a leader?

Didn't u fight for 100 years before england came to your rescue

Igbochief001:
Didn't u fight for 100 years before england came to your rescue

Lol, didn't you ibos fight to be free from Nigeria and be independent?

To be honest, I am not really enthusiastic about an igbo presidency at this time .
Nigeria seems to be on a free fall . The insolvency of Nigeria economy is driving many people in the north into banditry and cattle rustling while in the west 50% of the youths are now into Yahoo Yahoo Yahoo and small time street cultism.
Nigeria seems to be technically grounded

Sammy07:


Lol, didn't you ibos fight to be free from Nigeria and be independent?

We fought outsiders not ourselves lmao Bros u no get talk ..Yorubas are the least united tribe in Nigeria that's a fact

Biggest opposition to yoruba presidency is Yorubas

Tinubu

Is more than enough to finish your entire tribe off.
Reserve - Fashola Adesina still de.

Herdsmen:


Name one Yoruba full that can rule Nigeria
Just name one...


Be like say Yoruba don too mouth for this nairaland politics...

It’s really been a while

Make we run am

I Dey wait yoruba man name...

Igbochief001:

We fought outsiders not ourselves lmao Bros u no get talk ..Yorubas are the least united tribe in Nigeria that's a fact

Biggest opposition to yoruba presidency is Yorubas

Yoruba are not united and they form Amotekun in all South West states.

Yorubas are all working towards getting the presidential slot before 2023.

Is it not Ibo Governors that were against Peter Obi

Igbochief001:

We fought outsiders not ourselves lmao Bros u no get talk ..Yorubas are the least united tribe in Nigeria that's a fact

Biggest opposition to yoruba presidency is Yorubas

Bros always read deep before you respond.

I said didn't you fought Nigeria just to be independent?
That's what happened to Yoruba Ethnic groups.
I don't expect you to understand bro.
it's not everything I go dey tell you.

Benin People / Empire will understand what I meant wella

Top1gun:
Tinubu

Is more than enough to finish your entire tribe off.
Reserve - Fashola Adesina still de.

Osinbajo