The Northern Interests Coalition (NIC) has rejected the move by Northern All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors to zone the party’s 2023 Presidential ticket to the South.
Up to 11 northern APC governors had in a letter on Saturday charged President Muhammadu Buhari to limit the search for his successor to the southern presidential aspirants.
NIC described the move as a desperate activity of some Northern governors who, because of their selfish interests to emerge as Vice President decided to pressure President Muhammadu Buhari to endorse a Southern presidential candidate for the APC.
The group in a statement by it’s Chairman, Malam Umar Faruq Gazali, on Sunday said the governor’s action was a direct assault against Northern interests, stressing that “these governors must be stopped fast.
The statement partly read, “After power has been in the South that produced president for 14 years and Vice President for 11 years which is cumulatively 25 years. It is not only unjust but also unjustifiable that our governors will be conspiring against the North to lose power after only eight years of the Buhari presidency.
“These Governors have ganged up to pressure the president tonight to endorse their self-centred agenda.
“The North disowns them and their bad intentions and we shall resist them. The only thing is that we advise the governors allegedly involved in this evil plot to desist immediately. Those allegedly involved are Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, Gov. Sule Abdullahi of Nasarawa state, Gov. Babagana Zulu of Borno, Gov. Masari of Katsina, Governor Ganduje of Kano, Governor Lalong of Plateau, Abubakar Sanni Bello of Niger state, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state, Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, Aliyu Wamako former Governor of Sokoto State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state.
“The president must not only ignore them but refuse to be confused by these betrayers of these North. These eleven Northern Governors have betrayed the North for their selfish interests and we condemn their actions in the strongest possible terms once again we urge the president to ignore them completely.
“This is not a mere allegation. The statement made by these eleven betrayers of Northern interests in this respect is in the public domain as released and signed by them today recommending to the president that the search for his successor be limited to the South. This is undemocratic and injurious to the interests of the North and must not be allowed to stand”.
