Southerner Must Replace Buhari In 2023 – PANDEF Insists, Carpets PDP

The umbrella organisation of Patriots, Leaders, traditional rulers, and stakeholders of Niger Delta coastal states, Pan Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF), says there will be no compromise in its resolve to have a Southerner taking over in 2023 after President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office.

Consequently, the group maintained that; “Whether the Southerner is from the South-South, South-East or South-West is a different matter entirely.”

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Ken Robinson, PANDEF said being that Buhari is a Northerner, who would have served out eight years by 2023, the presidency must naturally rotate and return to the South come year 2023.

The regional group, which was reacting to recommendations by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Committee, led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State that the Party’s 2023 Presidential ticket be opened to all geo-political zones, described such arrangement as “irrational and inconsistent with extant provisions of the PDP constitution on zoning between the North and South.”

It said; “A Northern President (Buhari) is to complete eight years by 2023. The presidency must, therefore, rotate to the South in 2023. That is the position of PANDEF. It is absurd for anyone to imagine that the north would retain the presidency. Nature abhors injustice; the sun does not rise in the east and set in the east.

According to the body; “It would be in the best interest of the Peoples Democratic Party to toss the said report to the litter bin and work towards ensuring that its 2023 presidential candidate is from the south. Whether the person emerges from the south-south, south-east, or south-west is a different matter entirely.

“The PDP, and indeed any other political party, need not be told that It would be a suicidal adventure for it to toy with the idea of presenting a northern presidential flag bearer in 2023.”

Further warning against mischief and dubious political maneuverings in handling the 2023 presidential ticket, PANDEF said; “Be it in line with the unwritten conventions of the nation’s history as cited by Governor Bala Mohammed’s Committee or on the grounds of fairness, equity, and merit, the president of Nigeria in 2023 must come from the South.”

For the body, it is important for those planning to deprive the South of the Presidency after Buhari’s eight years to note that; “No region in the country is lacking in men and women of notable character, competence, and acumen.”