By Abba Eku Onyeka
The National Coordinator of Southern Nigeria Unity Forum, SNUF, Chief Iwu Maurice Ogbu has urged northerners to as a matter of equity, justice and fair play support southern presidency come 2023 presidential election.
Iwu said this in a release made available to journalists recently in Abuja in response to the stand of the Acting Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Musa Liman Kwande on the matter.
In the Daily Trust publication of November 24, 2019, Kwande was reported to have urged any qualified northerner to vie for presidency come 2023 and this didn’t go down well with the coordinator of SNUF
Calling for a stronger united Nigeria for its advantage, Iwu Maurice Ogbu said that it is the turn of the southerners to produce president in 2023, adding that any attempt by northerners to retain power in 2023 will be resisted.
He said the south can’t continue to succumb to marginalisation as slaves to the north.
Calling Kwande to other with regard to his statement published in Daily Trust of November 24, 2019, the national coordinator said he has observed with concern that presentation of presidential candidate in each of the two leading political parties of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC by the north in 2023 will mean that Nigeria’s unity is in diversity.
He further observed that a southern president in 2023 would among others, not only promote unity in the country, but also address the issues of marginalisation and deplorable conditions of the zones’ roads.
Still calling for unity and equity, he suggested for peaceful separation, if the northern and southern politicians can’t agree to handle the affairs of Nigeria peacefully.
He however, warned against continued hide and seek game, just as he said he has observed with concern that no nation progresses in isolation.
