A group, Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), says it would be “malicious and wicked” to expect power to remain in the North beyond 2023.
Mohammed Danlami, the leader of the group, stated this in a news conference in Kaduna.
The group said that instead, the Southern part of the country should be supported to produce the president after President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.
Recall that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, from the South-South geopolitical zone, lost his re-election bid to Buhari in 2015.
But Danlami explained that the North has ruled the country more than its Southern counterpart since Independence, hence the need for a power shift in the next presidential election.
Danlami said, “it is time for the south-south youths to produce the next president in 2023 to complete their 8 years of leadership.”
He stressed that AYA frowned at anyone scheming to retain power in the North, describing their actions as unfair.
“Arewa Youth Assembly have noticed a series of misleading comments being orchestrated by some political buccaneers over leadership factor that North should retain the national leadership come 2023,” he said.
“It is grossly unfair, malicious and wicked for all those fuelling or promoting this project. We say NO! We say NO!! We say NO!!!
“Our great nation has not fulfilled its potential and our realities are far from our ideals, it is time for a new generation to build a modern Nigeria,” Danlami stated.
However, he said only a visionary, vibrant, detribalised, compassionate and incorruptible youth must be given such an opportunity to lead the country.
The AYA president said, “We are calling for power shift to the clam surface of the burning hydrocarbon the land of the South-South. We need leaders with vision and passion because sound and visionary political leadership is vital for Nigerian peaceful co-existence.
“With this timely intervention ahead of 2023 we are championing the course of youths within the age bracket of 40 to 50 years to lead Nigeria to the promised land.
“A vibrant youth who is detribalised, a youth who have vision enough to foresee the needs of the people and must be compassionate enough to match these needs with actions.
“For Nigeria to progress no time for experimentation, sentiments, tribalism or mediocrity, so, such a man must be strong enough, articulate and incorruptible, he must have a good sense of judgment, unquestionable integrity, be full of honour and moral courage…
“The expectation of 2023 leadership is high, but we are constrained to speak up on the unnecessary distraction and our solidarity toward our fellow brother from South-South towards enthroning a new leadership in 2023.
“Our country belongs to all of us; as youths, we have a duty to make it better and we have a duty to retire and stop recycling old politicians permanently.
“The choice before us is to change the narratives towards political leadership, come 2023 it is between progress and retrogression, between our youth leadership freedom and our continuing false imprisonment.
“It is high time for a brilliant and industrious youth who is prepared to rebuild our nation from its foundation, be it a Christian or a Muslim.
“We are with our brothers from South-South to produce a youthful leader with depth and substance, a leader with focus attention on knowledge economy by prioritising education and health investing hugely in the sector for transformational growth.”
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