Chief Edwin Clark has called on interested presidential candidates outside southern Nigeria to drop their presidential bid.
Gatekeepers News reports that Clark who is the leader of Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal to drop their presidential bid in 2023, insisting that it was the turn of southern Nigerian to be the next president of the country.
Clark, who extended a similar plea to other aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the north, however, described their motives to contest in 2023 as not only selfish but a recipe for chaos.
In another eight-page letter titled: ‘Zoning of Presidency Between the North and South is Best Antidote to the Break Up of Nigeria, and Requisite for Peace and Unity’, he warned that any thought outside zoning the presidency to the south would in be contravention of the Constitution of the PDP opposition, which he said negated existing convention.
“I wish to use this medium to advise my most respected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftains in the persons of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State, and other PDP aspirants from the north, that in the interest of maintaining the unity of this country to which they have contributed so much, to re-consider their desire of wanting to contest for the Presidential election in 2023, because both by the PDP Constitution and by convention, to do otherwise, is to invite chaos, which will lead to the disintegration of our dear country,” he said.
He pointed out that existing records had shown that northern Nigeria has held the nation’s number one office for more than four decades both under military and civil rule.
His argued: “It must be understood that the north has had the Presidency for about 45 years of our nation’s history as an independent country, including both civilian and military regimes as follows: 5 years and 3 months of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; 9 years of Gen. Yakubu Gowon; 6 months of Gen. Murtala Mohammed; 1 year and 8 months as Military Head of State of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari 5; 4 years and 3 months of Alhaji Shehu Shagari; 8 years of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; 4 and half years of Gen. Sanni Abacha; 1 year of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and 8 years of President Muhammadu Buhari that will end in May, 2023.
“The South-West had Chief Ernest Shonekan for a short period of 3 months as Interim President, and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for 8 years. If the 3 and half years of his (Chief Obasanjo’s) Military Head of State are added, then the South-West have held the nation’s number one office for about 12 years. South-South had Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as President for five years (May 2010 to May 2015). South-East had Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi for 6 months in a military regime (January 1966-July 1966).”
The octogenarian, however, expressed disappointment over moves by Atiku and other northern presidential aspirants to contest in 2023, despite the resolution by the 17 Southern Governors Forum, South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, groups and eminent northern leaders that power should shift to the south.
He said it was strange to see the same people, who opposed Goodluck Jonathan’s attempt to return a couple of years back in the name of zoning, now wanting to contest for the presidency under PDP.
His words: “I have observed with dismay, that some of my respected friends, especially, the former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the distinguished former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan for contesting the Presidential elections, because they felt it was the turn of the North, are now wanting to contest for the presidency under the PDP in 2023. They are already campaigning through the length and breadth of the country, even after a northerner will be having a straight 8 years, come May, 2023.
“Is it no longer a negation of the ‘zoning agreement,’ for which former President Goodluck Jonathan was castigated? Is it no longer threatening the unity and survival of the country?” he asked, warning that ignoring calls for power shift “may even be the deciding factor for the PDP, whether to be or not to be.”
