Any political party that fields a Northern candidate for the Presidency in 2023 will surely lose the election.
Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, SGF, and governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, gave the warning on while speaking in his office as he played host to members of a group, Power Rotation Movement, led by the Chairman, Dr Pogu Bitrus, who also doubles as the Chairman, Middle Belt Forum, when paid him a courtesy call.
Warning that any party that fields a Northern candidate in the 2023 presidential election will lose, Akeredolu disclosed that Southern governors, under the aegis of the Southern Governors’ Forum, SGF, are determined to ensure that next President comes from the South.
Other members of the group include: the Co-chair, Rtd. General Collins Ihekire, representing the Ohaneze Ndigbo; National Organising Secretary of Afenifere, Abagun Kole Omololu; representative of Yoruba Council of Elders, Hon. Ayodele Oni; National Publicity Secretary of Afenfere, Comrade Jaye Ajayi; National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Hon. Ken. Robinson; and National Coordinator of Power-shift Movement and Forty Million Ballots – a movement being driven by the youth – Comrade Kennedy Iyere, among others.
Insisting that those pushing against power rotation are tinkering with the existence of Nigeria, the Senior Advocate added that he believes in one fair and equitable Nigeria.
He commended the group for its approach by involving youths in galvanizing support and votes ahead of the 2023 election.
He said, “In about two or three meetings, we have come out and declared that power must move to the South.
“Only a party that is determined to lose will field a Northern candidate. You are now a movement of members of political parties coming together. What we stand for is fair and equitable power rotation. The only thing fair is that after eiggt years in the North, it should come to the South.
“Some of us believe in One Nigeria that’s fair and equitable. We have a reason for it and it can be defended. Some people have argued that the Presidency should be based on competence. Are they saying there are no competent ones in the South?
“My brother-governors from the South, all of us are determined. Whosoever we pick, for as long as it is South, we will support him. We are saying the President must come from the South. There are people who merit it in the South-South, South- East, and the South-West.
“I also support your approach. If you are able to mobilize the youth and do not allow the election to be rigged, then we will win. You should also get our women to support us.”
Earlier, Chairman of the movement, Dr Bitrus, explained to the governor that the movement is passionate about power rotation to the South.
He said, “We are passionate believers that power should rotate in this country and should move from the North to the South. We launched the 40 million ballot movement. That’s the sensitization of the youth. We launched it for our youth to key in.
“Leaders in the South and Middle Belt met in Abuja and agreed that power should rotate to the South, that the Middle Belt and the South should move against any party that fields any candidate outside the Southern part of the country.”
