By Isaac Kertyo
A former presidential aspirant under the platform of Sustainable National Party of Nigeria has debunked claims that the South-East may not produce capable hands who will occupy the office of the Nigerian president come 2023.
Speaking on Arise Television, Monday morning, February 14, Ahmed Buhari, a former presidential aspirant during the 2019 general election, said that every section of the country has individuals who can pilot the affairs of the country credibly if given the opportunity.
Making a case for Southern Presidency come 2023, Buhari said that it’s just fair that the next president is zoned to the South.
According to him, in 2015, the North cried loudly that power should shift to the North after Goodluck Jonathan said it’s the same argument in 2015 that produced President Mohammed Buhari, a Northerner to fill the slot of the North after Jonathan from the South-South.
He wondered why the same people who clamour for power shift then to the North are now opposing the same power shift to the South.
He however emphasized that for the sake of equity and fairness, the presidential slot should further be micro zoned to South East once ceded to the South.
“Because South East is the only zone in the entire South that has not produced the president of Nigeria since the advent of Democracy in 1999,” he said.
According to him, there are arrays of eminently qualified persons from the South East who have indicated interest in the job.
Mentioning Orji Kalu, Rochas Okorocha and Anyim Pius Anyim, Buhari said that the credentials of all of them should be placed on the table for examination.
“But among all of them that have indicated interest in the presidency from South East, Buhari says, if given opportunity to choose, that Anyim stands out.”
According to him, Anyim performance in the Senate as its president when the National Assembly was in turmoil, his stabilizing roles at that point, marked him out as one who could be entrusted with leadership and he will be sure to deliver.
Stating further, Buhari recalled that Anyim’s role in the office of secretary to the government of the federation where he was the head of all ministries and agencies and how he managed a rancour free civil servants without being a career civil servant he said, is another thing anyone should not over look in choosing a candidate for next presidential election.
Buhari also noted that Anyim’s disposition on restructuring gives him out as a leader who is ready to listen and carry everyone along.
He therefore maintained that Anyim’s roles so far at the national level distinguish him out as one with the best exposure and experience to provide the desired leadership to Nigeria.
