Northern leaders has fired back at their counterparts in the South and Middlebelt regions who are clamouring that the 2023 presidential slot be zoned to the south in the interest of a united Nigeria without which, the country may no longer exist.
The northern leaders stated that although they believed the South had competent people who could be the next President, the leaders of the Southern and Middlebelt regions must note that they cannot get the Presidential seat by threatening the North with secession as the North cannot be intimidated with blackmails.
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Speaking with Correspondents in Abuja, the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said: ‘It is a sad reflection of how low Nigerian politics has sunk that matters that should be processed through the political system are now raised to levels of threats and intimidation.
‘There are southerners and northerners in the two major parties, but it would appear that they have abdicated their responsibilities to groups that think they can achieve results with threats.
‘The north is the target of these threats. Northern voters are not impressed and they will not be intimidated by threats to abandon their rights to choose freely, the same rights that are available to other Nigerians.
‘Politicians and tribal leaders who think they can extract concessions or advantages using threats forget that Nigerians are already bleeding from all forms of threats and violence.
‘What type of leadership will they provide when they have to threaten to destroy the country on their way to power? These people who speak like this do not represent the majority of Nigerians who just want peace and progress under good leaders.
‘In any case, they should know that they are demanding what no one is in a position to give. We run a democracy. If they want a southern president, they need to learn the basic tool of politics which are persuasion and compromise. If they want something else, they should say so, so that Nigerians can see them for what they are.’
Similarly, a former presidential aide, Alhaji Salisu Yakassai, noted that no region in Nigeria can attain the Presidency without the support of others.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
