2023: Atiku reacts to Fayose on calling for a southern presidency
This is not about Bola Tinubu or Obi, but this is about our belief that power must come to the south and it is a struggle we must actualise, Fayose said
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to the comment of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, that insisted the south should produce the next president in 2023.
Newsflash Nigeria had earlier reported that Fayose on Wednesday said power must shift to the southern part of Nigeria in 2023 after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.
According to him, PDP’s constitution provides room for rotational presidency.
The former Ekiti governor was one of the presidential aspirants who contested against Atiku in the primary of the PDP.
Writing in the Yoruba language, Fayose tweeted that “awa south lo kan” — which means “it is the turn of the south”. The remark is a reference to the catchphrase attributed to Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fayose said “The PDP Constitution provides for a rotational Presidency. Section 3(c) provides that the Party shall pursue its aims & objectives by “adhering to the policy of the rotation & zoning of Party & Public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness.”
“The current President of Nigeria is a 2-term Northern Presidency, thus implying that it MUST be a Southern Presidency in 2023 or NOTHING. Awa ‘South’ lo kan’.
“Nigerians should await details soon.”
On whether the plan is now to technically support the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, or his counterpart in the Labour Party, Peter Obi, Mr Fayose said: “This is not about Bola Tinubu or Obi, but this is about our belief that power must come to the south and it is a struggle we must actualise.
Mr Fayose further explained that “when the June 12 election was cancelled, the presidency was zoned to the southwest to pacify the southwest region.
“When former President Goodluck Jonathan was over staying, it was believed that he was already using the northern slot. So, he was opposed and a northern candidate was installed through the APC.
“This time, it is the turn of the south because Buhari has spent eight years. Why will PDP be insisting that it must again be the turn of the north.”
Mr Fayose also stated that he does not care if his actions are perceived as anti-party activity.
“ What I am saying is, it is the turn of the South, and if they want to expel me, to hell with them. I am not taking money from anyone to belong to this party.
“If they want to rock this boat, we will help them to rock it.”
Reacting, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe said the PDP presidential candidate will continue to appeal to aggrieved persons ahead of the 2023 election.
He told Premium Times, “It is normal for our people to be aggrieved but the PDP has a way of resolving issues like this and that will be done and we all shall be happy.
“Because the bigger challenge is winning the election, kicking out the APC and stopping them from the many years of impoverishing our people.”
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