- The conversations around the 2023 presidential election are gaining traction by the day
- Professor Ango Abdullahi has hinted that the north is not ready to give up power in 2023
- Abdulahi who is the chairman of Northern Elders Forum, says democracy is about numbers
The chairman of Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi has stated that the north can keep power for 100 years if it likes, saying democracy is all about numbers and the region has the numerical strength to achieve it.
Abdullahi stated this while speaking on perceived permutations as Nigeria looks forward to another general election in 2023.
He told Daily Sun that the north will only support candidates from the region in the race for 2023 presidency.
He emphasized that zoning or power shift, which many southern leaders are agitating for is unconstitutional and would not be supported by northern leaders.
Asked if there was an unwritten agreement among northern leaders to oppose the return of the presidency to the south in 2023, Abdullahi said it was only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that had a power shift agreement, adding that it is not in the Nigerian constitution.
His words: “Zoning has no place or ground in the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. It was a political party affair based on the willingness and agreement of members. No party has that arrangement except PDP.
“81% of Buhari votes in 2015 and 2019 came from the north. Though I am not a card-carrying member of any political party, I am not sure whether APC has any arrangement like this.
“Hence, they don’t have the issue of power shift and zoning does not arise. It could be right or wrong to adopt it, yet the decision is left to the party. I think it’s something that we have to be careful about.
“I think there is nothing wrong at all if the north keeps power for a century because democracy is all about numbers and we have it.”
He added that any party that presents a candidate of northern extraction will be supported in 2023 by northerners.
Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, on Sunday, September 29 charged prominent Igbo leaders to unite and ensure the region gets presidency in 2023.
The group expressed confidence that nothing would prevent the Igbo from getting the presidency in 2023.