2023: No Northern Presidential Candidate, South-East, South-West Have Competent People – Governor Akeredolu

The Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, and Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has insisted that the next president of the country must come from the South.

Akeredolu warned that any political party that fields presidential candidate from the North would lose the presidential election because such candidate would not have the support of the southern governors.

The governor spoke in his office in Akure during a courtesy visit by members of a group, the Power Rotation Movement, led by Dr Pogu Bitrus.

According to him, those pushing against power rotation in the country are toying with the existence of Nigeria.

He said, “In about two or three meetings, we (governors) have come out and declared that power must move to the south.

“Only a party that is determined to lose will field a northern candidate. You are now a movement of members of political parties coming together. What we stand for is fair and equitable power rotation. The only fair thing is that after eight years in the North, Presidency should come to the south.

“Some of us believe in one Nigeria that is fair and equitable. We have a reason for it and it can be defended. Some people have argued that the Presidency should be based on competence. Are they saying there are no competent ones in the south?

“My brother governors from the south, all of us are determined. Whosoever we pick, for as long as it is south, we will support him. We are saying the President must come from the south. There are people who merit this in the South-South, South- East, and the South-West.”

Bitrus, who is also the Chairman, Middle- Belt Forum, explained that the movement is passionate about power rotation to the South.

“We are passionate believers that power should rotate in this country and should move from the north to the south. We launched the 40 million ballot movement. That’s the sensitization of the youths. We launched it for our youths to key in.

“Leaders in the south and middle belt met in Abuja and agreed that power should rotate to the south, that the middle belt and the south should move against any party that fields any candidate outside the southern part of the country,” he said