The leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) made this understood in a declaration provided on Monday, as he called on aspirants from the north to support a southern presidency.

Clark especially recommended previous Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, and other PDP candidates from the North to reconsider their quote to end up being President in 2023 in the interest of peace and unity.

He added that the zoning of the 2023 presidency to the North will welcome turmoil and more result in the disintegration of the nation, worrying that it is time the South produces Buhari’s successor.

Clark argued that the idea of zoning is not written in the constitution, however the procedure remains in the interest of the nation’s unity.

The statement checks out: “Firstly, I want to use this medium to encourage my most respected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains in the individuals of previous Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto state, and other PDP aspirants from the north, that in the interest of keeping the unity of this country to which they have actually contributed a lot, to re-consider their desire of wishing to contest for the presidential election in 2023, because both by the PDP constitution and by convention, it is now the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the president of Nigeria in 2023, after President Muhammadu Buhari’s 8 years. To do otherwise is to invite chaos, which will lead to the disintegration of our dear country.

“It is instructional that the country’s 2 main parties, the PDP and the apc, have been consistently following the zoning and rotation system between the north and the south.

“By 2023, the North would have ruled for another 8 years. It is, for that reason, right and rational, to insist that the presidency must rotate to the south. It does not matter whether the presidency has actually been produced from the APC or the PDP considering that 2015.

“To which sub-region the presidency ought to be further zoned to in the south, is a different matter entirely. At the suitable time, we will decide regarding which area, section or region of the 3 regions of South East, South and South West, ought to have it.

“As I have actually stated earlier, I have observed with dismay, that a few of my reputable buddies, especially, the previous vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the recognized previous president of the senate, Bukola Saraki, who opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan for contesting the presidential elections because they felt it was the turn of the north, are now wishing to contest for the presidency under the PDP in 2023.

“They are currently campaigning through the length and breadth of the country, even after a northerner will be having a straight 8 years, come May 2023.

“Is it no longer not a negation of the ‘zoning contract,’ for which former President Goodluck Jonathan was castigated? Is it no longer threatening the unity and survival of the nation?

“As the objective of these and others who might follow will be breaking the zoning system of the PDP, it might even be the choosing element for the PDP, whether to be or not to be.”

ToriNG