2023 Presidency: Foundation tasks political parties on zoning to South East

The Arewa Concerned Civil Society Organisations of Nigerian, ACCSON has tasked all the Political Parties in Nigeria to zone their tickets for the 2023 presidential election to the South Eastern part of the country.

The Spokesperson of the group, Comrade Abdulsalam Kazeem made the call at a press briefing in Kaduna.

He disclosed that over 30 Civil Society Organisations of Northern extraction met at Mallam Aminu Kano Center for Democratic Research, Mambayya House in Kano State on the way forward regarding the unity of Nigeria.

He said the meeting agreed that only two zones out of the six geo political regions in the country have not occupied either the presidential or vice-president seat since 1999 till date.

“Between 1999 to 2007, it was South West and North East, and between 2007 to 2015 it was between North West, South South and North West while between 2015 till date it is between North West and South West”, he analysed.

According to Kazeem, the South East are part and parcel of the Nigerian project from day one till date, hence, should be treated fairly just like other zones of the country.

“They too deserve to get what others have gotten, because they have paid their dues in terms of contributions and consolidation of Nigeria.

“The region is being captured in all other sectors of the Nigerian economy based on federal character from 1999 till date, but are denied either of the presidential or vice presidents positions”, he stressed.

The spokesman further stated that, with the rotation of the presidency, all the agitations for separation would stop not only in the Southeast but in other regions since the essence is to quench marginalisation and promote unity, brotherhood and pan Nigerian sentiments.

He said the youths being the future of the Nation as well as critical stakeholders in nation building, prompted them to cease being spectators, rather decided to partake in the process of mobilising and sensitising youths from their region to get their voters card.

Kazeem further mentioned that, their meeting x-rayed the current situation in Nigeria which included unity in diversity, rotational presidency, insecurity, youth unemployment, youth inclusiveness in governance, amongst others.

“In that light, we agreed to stand for the Southeast, the region we believe have been marginalised. We therefore call on the former Senate President, Anyim Pius who is from the region, to contest in the 2023 presidential election.