Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the National Political Equity Movement (N-PEM) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) to zone presidency to the south east.
The Convener of the movement, Ambassador Obina Sunday Okereke, made the call on Thursday in Abuja during an engagement with the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements, Dr. Osssai Nicholas Ossai.
N-PEM and National Assembly’s interaction was part of the celebration of the 2020 International Democracy Day in Nigeria as declared by the United States.
Okereke, who noted that the Nigerian political structure, parties, groups, citizens and social-cultural organisations recognised the six geo-political zones, said Nigerians should support the call to zone the presidency to the south-east 23 years after democracy returned to the country.
He said power rotation at the presidency had been conventionally patterned between the Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Okereke also stated that based on the Nigeria’s unique diversity, historical political structure, power arrangements and in fulfillment of the constitutional declaration of equality and social justice; other geo-political zones should support the South-East to produce the president in 2023.
He said: “Since 1999, when Nigeria made a return to democratic governance. It has been observed that the Presidency rotate between the North and South in the following order: 1999 to 2007 (South-West, President, North-East, Vice President); 2007 to 2010 (North-West, President, South-South, Vice President); 2010 to 2015 (South-South, President, North- West, Vice President); 2015 to 2019 (North-West, President, South-West, Vice President) and presently 2019 to 2023 (North-West, President; South-West Vice President).
“From the above analysis, you will agree with the movement that the zones that were not
mentioned for either President or Vice President are South-East and North-Central, we
therefore call on well-meaning Nigerians to reflect on this as equity demands.
“As Presidential political power is expected to return to Southern Nigeria in 2023; we strongly believe and advocate that major political parties should consider zoning the Presidency to South-East, Nigeria in the spirit of equity, equality, unity, fairness, national integration, loyalty, democracy, and inclusion.”
In his address, Ossai who is also the Chairperson, Nigerian Parliamentary Israel Allies Caucus, said N-PEM which had made September 15, the International Democracy Day, popular in Nigeria, was on the right path.
He, however, said the task ahead is massive, adding that a lot of work needed to be done in other to “set a lot of things in its right place”.
