2023: We’ll mobilise Nigerians to reject another Northern President — PANDEF

…Engages SDP’s presidential candidate, Adebayo on developmental matters

By Ogaga Ariemu

Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has vowed that its will mobilise Nigerians to reject the emergence of another Northern president in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

The National Publicity Secretary PANDEF, Ken Robinson made this known when the Leadership of the organization paid the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Prince Adewole Adebayo a consultative visit on Tuesday in Abuja.

PANDEF planned organizing people from Niger Delta creeks to clampdown on the alleged injustice against Southern Nigeria.

According to him, “We are in a situation where an administration has operated a system as if others do not exist. There are 17 military, para-military and Intelligence security agencies in the country. At the last count, 14 of them are from the Northern part of the country, three from Southern Nigeria. There are six zones. So, even if you distribute two each to each region you still have five you can share the way you want.

“The NNPC Limited as it is called, has 11 key management and board members. The South South has one person. South East has two, South West has one. Four to seven.

“When the campaign starts, we will mobilise ourselves, speak to good Nigerians in Northern Nigeria and in Southern Nigeria why the next president of Nigeria should come from the Southern part of Nigeria. Anything short of that, and we are not saying this is not a threat, yes, we were in a meeting with people from the Dutch Embassy, three days ago I was in a meeting with the British High commissioner, and we told them this thing that Nigeria will no longer be what it has been if the next president goes North. The statement is not a threat. And we are serious. We will mobilise our people in the creeks, in the farm lands to the streets across Nigeria to work together. There are many people who don’t like what is going on. The Honourable former Minister of Sport, Solomon Dalung and other million people in the North who have clear conscience, who are sincere Nigerians and want Nigeria to be better,” he said.

Robinson added that the consultation with Southern presidential candidates is to ensure that a credible leader emerges by 2023.

In his remarks while receiving PANDEF’s leadership, the presidential candidate of the SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said the meeting is part of a conversation that will help unite Nigeria.

“The conversation has begun. It won’t end today because it involved PANDEF, Afenifere and the middle Belt. The unity of Nigeria is number one. There is no room for casting doubt on the continuity and unity of Nigeria,” Adebayo said, adding that not a single square meter of Nigeria will be taken away.

“Niger Delta has been a source of stupendous wealth but nothing can’t be cured with justice.

“I view Niger Delta people as Nigerians first. Let’s leave the oil first. They are Nigerians. We are dealing with the Niger Delta in our government as human beings if we emerge.

“This division will cease to be relevant because when a just man is on the throne people rejoice. You need a righteous man not Hausa, Igbo Yoruba to be the next president.

“For this reason, I share the sympathy of the Middle Belt and Niger Delta. From region to region, from agenda to gender, power should rotate. We will not look at ourselves from where we are coming from, we will give Nigerians the needed leadership,” Adebayo said.