2023: Youths Stage Protest, Barricade PDP Secretariat, Seek Southern Presidency

Youth leaders from the six geo-political zones on Wednesday took the push for a southern President in 2023 to the national secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP).

The youth leaders, during a rally, insisted that power rotate to the south at the end of the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

At the PDP secretariat, the youths barricaded the entrance of the party, demanding the party zone its presidential ticket to the South.

The youth protesters, which stormed the party secretariat around 11: 30am, said they were concerned as patriotic Nigerians, that just few days to the presidential primaries of the PDP, the party was yet to tell Nigerians about its decision on zoning of the presidential ticket.

The placard – wielding youths noted for equity, fairness, and unity, candidates from the South must be allowed to occupy the position of President in the country come 2023.

Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “It is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the President”; “Stop frustrating Southern Presidency.”

Addressing journalists, Convener, Concerned Nigeria Citizens, Femi Osabinu, said: “We are seriously concerned as patriotic Nigerians, that just a few days to the presidential primaries of your party, the party is yet to intimate Nigerians, about its decision, in respect of where it is zoning the Presidential ticket to. Recall that the rotation of power in Nigeria, goes beyond mere aspiration of political parties, but also a tool, towards ensuring national unity and stability, and in this regard, candidates from southern Nigeria, must be allowed to occupy the position of President in the country come 2023.

“We also wish to remind you, that the established convention is that power must rotate between the North and the South. Hence a President of northern extraction follows that of Southern extraction and vice versa. Any consideration outside of this is foul and may destabilise the polity.

“It is only fair, that after President Muhammadu Buhari, power must come to the south. Any argument against this is inimical to the unity and stability of our nation.

“It is equitable that once the above stands and power is conceded to the south, we will not only be respecting this established convention of power rotation, but we will also be contributing to the dire need, to restore stability and national cohesion, back into our polity.

“It is the turn of the Southern part of the country to produce the next President, and we believe that your party, should have no difficulty in coming out with a categorical declaration, on this very important issue, in the next few days. This must be done without delay. The principle of Federal Character is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Remember, there won’t be APC if there is no country called Nigeria. Let us put Nigeria first in our resolutions.

“While wishing you the best as we move towards the general election, we wish to restate that nothing other than the rotation of power to the South, shall be acceptable to us, and our people.”