The Senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has said the All Progressives Congress should not field a northerner as its presidential candidate in 2023.
Ndume, chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, observed that a northerner emerging as the presidential candidate of the APC in 2023 would amount to a ‘third term’ for the North.
He insisted that, in the spirit of fairness, justice and fair play, APC should zone its presidential ticket to the South.
Ndume said, “To me, as a founding member of the APC that witnessed the first convention where the presidency was deliberately zoned to the North and four candidates from the region – President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Sam Nda-Isaiah – slugged it out, with Rochas Okorocha exercising his constitutional rights, I, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, I feel that it would not be fair, equitable and just to field a northern candidate for the presidency in APC, 2023.
“To me, fielding a northern candidate will be tantamount to third term; which is unconstitutional.
“For me, I have drawn the line already because everybody will stand before God and account for his deeds.
“We supported the zoning of the presidency to the North and we supported the president and he is spending his eight years in line with the constitution of the country.
“By extension, the North is only allowed to serve two terms. So, if a northerner comes in again, it does not matter whether the person is Buhari or not, or a new name, that would mean that the North is going in for a third term; which is unconstitutional.”
Ndume, in the same vein, said the chairmanship position should go to the North during the party’s forthcoming convention.
“I’m somebody that believes in equal rights and justice, because it is only when you adhere to that that you will have peace.
“So, I don’t want to dabble into leadership zoning; but impliedly, if I’m saying that the southern part should produce the president, then the chairmanship position should go to the North,” he said.
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