By Derrick Bangura

The decision this weekend by President Muhammadu Buhari and Northern Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to concede the party’s 2023 presidential ticket to the South, has elicited commendation from the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), which described the development as a remarkable political development in the country.

SMBLF, in a release jointly issued on Sunday by its Leaders, Chief Edwin Clark; Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; President-General of Middle Belt Forum, Dr Pogu Bitrus; and President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador George Obiozor, applauded President Buhari, the Northern Governors and political leaders of the APC for their support for the rotation of the presidency to the south in 2023.

According to the leaders, the decision by the APC Northern leaders to back the emergence of a presidential candidate of the party from the Southern part of the country was a remarkable development and fetched huge relief to well-meaning Nigerians, from the needless political theatrics.

They also endorsed the conclusions of the APC governors and political leaders from northern Nigeria, that after eight years of northern presidency under President Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should come from the south, “in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.”
This, the leaders said, was in tandem with SMBLF long-held position on the rotation of the presidency, and therefore, deserved commendation.

“Just when the nation’s future and political fortunes were looking dimmest, with all sorts of appalling shenanigans, the President and the Northern APC governors, have provided a glimmer of hope; indicating that some of our politicians still cherish the ‘oneness’ of Nigeria beyond parochial, political reparations. And, despite certain reservations, this decision has occasioned a level of optimism that perhaps, all hope is not yet lost for the country.

“And by this development, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has not only ingratiated itself with the people of Southern Nigeria, the Middle Belt region, and indeed, all true lovers of democracy, equity, fairness and justice, but has also demonstrated that it is a truly “national” political party that is committed to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria.
“We commend the courage and patriotism of Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, for heeding the ‘patriotic advice’ of his colleagues and withdrawing his presidential aspiration. And further urge all other Northern presidential aspirants under the APC and other parties, to withdraw likewise, in the national interest.

“We also appeal to the Southern APC presidential aspirants to close ranks, as suggested by Mr. President, and present a credible consensus candidate that we will represent and protect the interest of all Nigerians. We further restate our call on the people of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt region, as well as, all well-meaning Nigerians, to, as a sacred obligation to the nation, not vote for any political party that does not present a southern candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

“The Forum warns politicians, who place their ambitions over and above the health of the polity that the nation cannot afford to fritter away the labours of our heroes, past and present, by allowing such self-seeking politicians to, callously and carelessly, jettison arrangements and understandings that have sustained the oneness and stability of the country over the years.”
Also, the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum, has hailed its Northern counterparts, for resolving to allow a candidate from the south become the presidential standard bearer of the party in the 2023 general election.

The forum, in a statement by its Chairman and Governor of Ondo State, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), said the action of the Northern Governors was another landmark achievement in the party’s quest for understanding, rapprochement and continual engagements for mutual beneficence.

The governors also appealed to all aspirants from the Northern state, including Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.

“We, therefore, wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari, that the search for his successor as the APC Presidential Candidate be limited to our compatriots from the Southern states. We appeal to all aspirants from the Northern state to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries,”the statement read.

The forum further expressed delight with the decision of Governor Badru to contribute to the patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.
“We are delighted by the decision of our esteem colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badru, to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration. We did not expect anything short of this heart-warming decision from our colleagues, great patriots and reliable partners in the collaborative efforts geared towards the attainment of nationhood for our dear country.

“This is indeed another landmark achievement in our quest for understanding, rapprochement and continual engagements for mutual beneficence. We acknowledge this courageous stance for equity and moral rectitude. We applaud the zeal and determination of our brothers to engage realistically and honestly.

“We salute this uncommon resolve to confront issues militating against the march towards nationhood and ultimate greatness. By this gesture, we are convinced of the seriousness of our colleagues to join other patriots in ensuring that the ascendant march towards stability, progress and prosperity is not truncated by indiscretion.

“We congratulate our brother Governor, Abubakar Badaru, for his exemplary conduct. Posterity will remember him for good. We thank the leadership of the Northern Governors’ Forum for the patriotic zest displayed at this crucial moment.”
In the same vein, Yoruba Muslim Scholars, have also commended the resolution of 11 governors of the APC from the North supporting that the presidential ticket of the party should go to the South.

A press statement by Sheikh Abdur Rasheed Mayaleke, President General, Prof. Olaiya Abideen, Secretary General and Barr. AbdulGaniy Olaide Ezra – Publicity Secretary read: “We (CONCERNED YORUBA MUSLIM SCHOLARS IN NIGERIA) received with great joy the news of the resolution of the 11 APC Governors from the Northern Region to zone its presidential candidate to Southern Region in line with the agreement of the founding fathers of the party.
“It could be recalled that the Concerned Yoruba Muslims Scholars in Nigeria have been calling to this path for sometime and we cannot but be appreciative of your ability to listen to the voice of reasoning.

“We are greatly indebted to President Muhammadu Buhari, who not only created enabling environment for the resolution of the lock jam, but also went ahead to endorse the resolution of the Northern Governors position in the overall interest of Unity, peaceful and mutual trust and progress of our Nation.
“We acknowledge this courageous stance for equity and moral rectitude. We applaud the zeal and determination of all the stakeholders to engage realistically and honestly. We salute this uncommon resolve to confront issues militating against the march towards nationhood and ultimate greatness. By this gesture, we are convinced that the ascendant march towards stability, progress and prosperity is not truncated by selfish or parochial interests.”

In a related development, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has said President Muhammadu Buhari, has not directed that the party’s 2023 presidential ticket should go to any particular geopolitical zone of the country.

Spokesperson for the National Chairman of the APC, Muhammad Nata’ala Keffi, in a statement yesterday, said the gathering didn’t discuss zoning, adding that such claims were false, mischievous and misleading.

He said the President only advised the aspirants to build “a consensus that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants and bring up a formidable candidate.”
According to him, “From the quotations from Mr. President’s speech, there is nowhere where zoning was mentioned. We call on the public to disregard any information about the zoning of the presidential contest to any part country. What Mr President want is the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians; no more, no less.”

But a coalition of youth groups within the APC, has dissociated from the stance of the northern governors, declaring that the decision did not reflect the opinions of the entire North.
The coalition made up of APC Youths Elements and North-East Youth Forum for APC, jointly held a peaceful protest against the decision of the governors, whom they described as “selfish, self-centered and power mongers.”

The youths, carrying placards with different inscriptions demanded that the APC if it wanted to remain in power beyond 2023, should allow a candidate from the North emerge in other to be able to match the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which according to them, has a formidable candidate in Atiku Abubakar.
They further berated the northern governors for not doing anything to develop their respective states but plunged the region into untold hardships particularly, myriad of issues including banditry, kidnapping, robbery, poverty, unemployment and other social vices.

Addressing Journalists, Chairman, APC Progressives Youth Elements, Al-Amin Bala Mai’Auduga said the northern governors did not do wider consultation before reaching the decision they announced on Saturday, saying it did not represent the entire northern region.

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, weekend, announced new security measures and traffic diversions in order to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
The measures put in place included a security cordon around the Eagle Square, venue of the election.
Security checkpoints at the entry points to Abuja, notably, Nyanya-Karu, Gwagwalada and Zuba, were also reinforced.

It said the command had deployed police detectives and patrol vehicles across the Central Area in order to ensure adequate security.
A statement issued by the command said stop and search operations would be conducted in the area and that there would be heavy police presence in the various traffic control points to aid the free flow of traffic, conduct stop and search, vehicular and foot patrol among others.

“The All Progressive Congress ( APC) Presidential primary election is scheduled to hold from Monday 6th June to Tuesday 7th June, 2022, at the Eagle’s Square. The event is often associated with a high influx of people, thereby requiring an augmentation of the working security architecture of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Given the above and to effectively police the territory within the period, an all-encompassing security deployment has been made. Notable among this security arrangement is the emplacement of traffic diversions at strategic places around the Eagle Square,” it said.

The command listed the traffic diversion points to include Good luck Ebele Jonathan Way by Court of Appeal, Behind Court of Appeal, ECOWAS by Women Affairs Ministry, Ministry of Finance, Behind Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kur Mohammed Road by National Mosque.

Other areas that would be affected by the traffic diversion around the Eagle Square are Benue Plaza, Nitel Junction, Phase 3, NNPC Tower, Ceddi Plaza Bridge, Gana Street by Transcorp Hilton, DSS Headquarters, Phase 1, National Assembly Junction, Bullet Construction Company Road and Bayelsa House.

The command affirmed that the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Babaji Sunday, while registering the command’s unflinching commitment to peace and tranquility in the territory, urged all and sundry to shun all forms of violence.

It urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide prompt and actionable intelligence as well as report suspicious or abnormal occurrence to the police.