Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
In their desire to ensure equity, justice and political harmony in the country, a group under the aegis of ‘North Central Coalition for Leadership’ (NCCL) has given reason for their call on the Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to contest the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.
The aim is to correct the imbalance and marginalisation against the North Central Geopolitical zone of the Country.
A Press Statement signed by the National coordinator Mr Williams Charles, six states’ Coordinators, Women leader and National Secretary and made available to Journalists on Monday, noted that the political arrangement of the country has been unfair of the North Central zone which is the unifier of the other Zones.
The group lamented that the zone has unjustly and unfairly been marginalised in the consideration of democratic presidential office right from the first republic to the present dispensation.
The statement decried the nonchalant attitudes of other zones to the North Central which has been a mediator of political fury between the Northern and Southern Nigeria, saying the North Central had laid enough eggs that it should be allowed to hatch.
According to the National Coordinator Comrade Williams Charles who also doubles as the spokesperson of the group said, in the spirit of brotherhood, the other Zones should only queue behind a candidature from the North Central zone.
He added that the North Central zone which consists of Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Benue; Plateau, Nasarawa states and the FCT has not tasted the democratic presidency since the inception of democracy in Nigeria.
According to him, the first Republic (1963 – 1966) produced President Nnamdi Azikweme and Prime Minister – Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (SouthEast/NorthEast) the Second Republic (1979 – 1983) produced President Shehu Shagari and Vice President Alex Ekwueme (NorthWest/SouthEast)
He added that the abortive third Republic election which was won by M.K.O Abiola and Babagana Kingibe (SouthWest/NorthEast, but militarily annulled and immediately the fourth republic was ushered in (1999), former president Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar South west/ North East spent eght years in office, even as Musa Umar Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan from North West / South south took over the mantle of leadership.
He stressed that after the demise of Musa Yar’adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Namadi Sambo South South / North West were made to complete what was left of eight years, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo North West / South west whose second term is ongoing leaving the North Central zone out of the Political equation as it neither been the president nor the Vice President since 1960.
According to him” Democracy is about equity, fairness and justice, considering the above statistics there is a great imbalance of inclusiveness amounting to an obvious marginalization of North central.
“On this note, therefore, it is only fair that the North central be given the support by well meaning Nigerians to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023.this time that the nation seem more divided than united, as the need now is a unifier, a bridge builder between the old and the young, a daring and audacious Youth.
“Who else shall we be looking for if not Gov. Yahaya Bello who has demonstrated capacity at tackling security challenges in the state and the country.
” Yahaya Bello as a visionary youth with proven track records of performance, who has refused temptation to lockdown Kogi state during the first covid-19 lockdown, and has in turn increased investment in Kogi state by 1Billion Naira ahead of Lagos state.
“Kogi State tertiary institutions are in session, graduating students while their contemporaries are at home for over a year. It takes a man with courage and doggedness to achieve these feat in the face of crisis militating against economies and governments.
” He has demonstrated political will in his state that qualified him for a bigger office”.
