The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has criticised the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) decision to run former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for President.
Prior to this, the forum had demanded that all political parties zone their presidential candidates to the south.
The SMBLF also warned that presenting northern candidates in the next general election would have “grim consequences.”
On Saturday, however, PDP delegates chose Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.
The SMBLF said the selection of a northern candidate is a “brazen affront” to the south in a statement signed by the forum’s leaders on Sunday.
Read Also: NECO extends registration period for 2022 SSCE
“Unfortunately, it appears that Nigeria’s unity and peace mean little or nothing to a segment of the country’s political elite.” This was demonstrated at the PDP special convention on Saturday, May 28, 2022, where certain candidates from the North were pressured, coerced, and even intimidated to step down for former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who eventually emerged as the party’s flagbearer, in blatant disregard for the established principle of zoning and power rotation between the north and south,” according to the statement.
“Undoubtedly, the sole motivation is to maintain northern hegemony, given that President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the north and of Fulani descent, will have completed his full eight-year term by this time next year.”
In the interest of posterity, the SMBLF categorically rejects Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s PDP candidacy and urges our people in Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, as well as all true lovers of peace and unity, not to vote for him or any other Northerner in the 2023 presidential election.
“The SMBLF also urges all aspirants for the office of President from southern Nigeria to reject conceited individualism and self-confidence and work together to achieve shared goals.”
Read Also: NCDC reports 66 suspected cases of monkeypox, with one death
“Once again, the SMBLF urges all politicians of southern ancestry to refuse to serve as a running mate for any northern presidential candidate, as doing so will be seen as enslaving their people to political slavery.”
Bassey Ewa-Henshaw of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) south-south; Okey Emuchay, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, south-east; Jare Ajayi Afenifere, south-west; Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt Forum (MBF); and Ken Robinson, acting coordinator SMBLF are among the signatories to the statement.
