Drop 2023 Presidential Ambition, Centre Advises Jonathan, Tinubu, Osinbajo, Tambuwal, Others
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Lagos State’s Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu have been advised to stay away from the 2023 presidential race in order to create political sanity and cohesion in the country.
The advice was contained in a statement issued on Monday by Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, the Director General, Centre for Credible Leadership And Citizens Awareness (CCLCA).
The statement said it would amount to greed if Jonathan and other aspirants from the regions who had enjoyed their share in the on-going political equation still presented themselves for the exalted office.
“In the interest of Federal Character, individuals like Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Mallam El-Rufai, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor Kayode Fayemi, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, Chibuike Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, etc. should keep away from this race in order to give an atmosphere of peaceful cohesion,” the Centre stressed.
While justifying its position, Dr. Nwambu noted that, “Now, Nigeria is made up of six (6) Geo-Political Zones. These are the North East, North West, North Central, South East, South South and the South West. Since the return of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the South West took off with former President Olusegun Obasanjo completing the 2 term of 8 years.
”CCLCA said: “He handed over to the North West under late President Musa Yaradua who barely served for 2 years before death struck. This prompted the swear-in of the South South born Ebele Goodluck Jonathan. Thereafter in 2015, the North West took over with President Muhammadu Buhari of the North West region while Yemi Osibanjo of the South West is serving as the Vice President.
“In all these therefore, the North Central, the South East, and the North East has not held sway as President of this great nation. In the interest of equity and fairness, it becomes imperative that the two major political parties in Nigeria, that is, the APC and the PDP choose their candidates from these 3 geo political zones that haven’t had the opportunity of producing the President in Nigeria. This formula would stabilize the already tensed situation and enhance the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians across board.
“There is no doubt that the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria is already threatened and fragile. Politics in Nigeria is deemed by politicians as purely a game of personal interest. In other words, the word patriotism scarcely exists in the minds of our elites. This explains why the socio-economic and political situation in the country has consistently nose-dived.:
It further adviced that this formula remains a panacea to solving the myriads of problems associated with the uneasy calm currently experienced in the country and should rank top in the mind of any patriotic Nigerian.
“The Nigerian nation is more important than any parochial or ethnic sentiment likely to plunge the nation into jeopardy,” it added.
