The Senator representing Borno South District, Ali Ndume had called for power to shift to the South, stressing that the North will benefit more if a southerner becomes the next president in 2023.
Ali Ndume Endorses Southern Presidency
The Senator, who spoke on Tuesday during an interview with Channels Television, said the South should produce the next president in the spirit of justice and fairness.
Ndume noted that the northern part of the country benefitted more during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who hails from the south.
He said, “Personally, I feel we will be better off with the president coming from the south. The current president comes from the north and if you look at it analytically, the south benefitted more. If the president comes from the south, we will benefit more just as we did previously during Jonathan’s administration.
“It pays the north more if there is a southern president. It pays the south when there is a northern president. When Buhari was appointed, the south benefitted more. They have the vice-president and the vice-president is so powerful, because the president at one time handed over the country to him when he left – that was unprecedented.
“The vice-president and speaker of the house of representatives are from the south-west. From the south, there are more than five strategic ministers — the minister of finance was from the south-west until the south-west pushed her out, because it was the media hype that pushed her out because of the trivial matter of NYSC certificate.
“Then, we have the ministers of works, health and state for health from the south. Another important ministry is the petroleum ministry — the president is the minister, and the minister of state is from south-south.
“In terms of infrastructure, the south benefitted more because the second Niger bridge will be completed very soon. East-west road will be completed. The deep blue sea project is in the south. The Lagos-Ibadan rail was started and commissioned. The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is also going on smoothly. So many projects in the south. Without fear of any contradiction, we will benefit more if the president comes from the south.”
Meanwhile, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Edwin Clark has warned that there will be no Nigeria if the next president doesn’t come from the South-East extraction.
