Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a group under the aegis of Nigeria Equity Group (NEG) has canvassed for a consensus Southern presidential candidate.
The convener of the group, Dr Emeka Nwosu, at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, appealed to political parties in the country to cede the presidency to the South.
Nwosu, who said that the call became necessary in view of the need to promote inclusion, added that it would entrench equity in the polity.
According to him, “The position of the organisation is that for the sake of equity and fairness, the next president of our country should come from the South.
“We believe that the template that the country has adopted since 1999 with the return of democratic rule in which the position of president rotates between the two main regions of North and South is ideal.
“For the sake of fairness and equity, we are appealing to all political parties and party stakeholders in Nigeria to cede the presidency to the South.
“Forming a consensus on critical national issue is essential for growth, peace and stability of our union.
“It would also not be strange as we have reached such agreement in the past; the most recent being in 1999 when the presidency was conceded to the South-West to assuage the unjust annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election.
“We believe that it is essential that after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, the next president should be a Southerner in order for us to maintain this balance,’’ he said.
Nwosu said that the group would mobilise the electorate to vote against any political party that goes against the template.
“We will mobilise patriotic Nigerians against any political party that goes against this template and does not cede its presidential ticket to the South.
“Our organisation in partnership with other similar groups will mobilise all fair-minded Nigerians in every nook and cranny of this country to vote against such a political party,’’ Nwosu said.