Northern Leaders of Thought jettisons zoning in favour of the south, says any Nigerian is free to contest

Northern Leaders of Thought, a high-level assemblage of leaders of thoughts from the northern parts of Nigeria have rejected the zoning of the presidency to the south in the 2023 election, says credible and competent candidates should contest.

The meeting which have in attendance, notable persons from the northern region: ministers, lawmakers, religious leaders, politicians, including members of Northern Elders Forum (NEF); Prof. Ango Abdullahi and Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said it will not accept the zoning of the 2023 Presidency to any region as it arose from an emergency meeting held in Arewa House, yesterday.

The communiqué of the meeting was issued and signed by Prof. Doknan Decent Danjuma Shenni, which states the position of the North against zoning as it urged the Federal Government to respect the rights and freedom of every citizen. It claimed “the fundamental rights of all political parties to field candidates of their choices, and the right of voters to freely exercise choices over who leads them cannot be compromised.

“Northerners have equal rights to aspire to all offices, but they must raise competence, evidence of personal integrity and commitments to the rule of law above all other considerations.

“Northerners should ignore provocative statements from groups in the South, who appear to believe in threats and hate campaigns as the hallmark or defining elements for elections. North should vote for the best leader.

“We the Northern Leaders of Thought also agreed that the current state of insecurity in the North is unprecedented and unacceptable”.

The group also emphasized on the issue of poverty and insecurity in the country and advised the government to restrategize in its spending to combat the dwindling economy and insecurity in the land.

“The fundamental rights of all political parties to field candidates of their choices, and the right of voters to freely exercise choices over who leads them cannot be compromised. “Northerners have equal rights to aspire to all offices but they must raise competence, evidence of personal integrity and commitments to the rule of law above all other considerations.”

The communique also reads: “the desperate condition of the economic existence of most Northerners, poses additional threats to security and the democratic process”, stressing, “It recommends that leaders should avoid pushing the population into deeper poverty and desperation with challenging economic policies and lack of empathy.

“ Government, at all levels, should consider a form of the structured welfare system to alleviate poverty in the populace.”

The group made known its reservation on the planned 2022 National Census and advised the Federal Government to postpone it considering the large numbers of displaced Nigerians and proximity of the census to the 2023 elections.

It also made it stand known to President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue of the amended Electoral Act, the leaders advised the presidency to accent to the Electoral Act, as such action would improve the quality of elections across the country.

The Leaders charged Northern groups to engage Southerners to improve understanding, lower tension and create a hormonious and relationship to foster peace amongst every citizens.

The meeting could be a fallout of the North not ready to cede power to the South considering the zoning agreement between both regions and the heightened political permutation going on across the country.