The Action Democratic Party, ADP, has revealed its plans for the 2019 elections stating that it has zoned the presidency to the North and will grant the South-East a slot for the vice presidency.
The ADP in an attempt to woo candidates and votes ahead of the general elections made this known via its South-South zonal coordinator, a former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie.
Senator Rowland Owie while speaking regarding the plans of the party to present candidates for the 2019 elections said that the party had concluded plans to cede its 2019 presidential ticket to the North and vice-presidential ticket to the South-East.
Owie during an interview with Vanguard said: “For 2019, we have zoned our presidential candidate to the North and our vice presidential slot to the South-East because where there is no justice, there can be no peace.”
The decision of the party however comes in line with the announcement of 12 persons by the Northern Youth Leaders’ Forum, NYLF, last month as possible replacements for the president, Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2019 elections.
Recall that the Northern Youth Leaders’ Forum, NYLF had last month released the named of 12 northerners as possible candidates for the 2019 election. The group through its leader, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, said: “We want to reiterate and clearly warn that the North will not the presidency to move to the South in 2019.”
The group further went on to list the candidates to include Senator Bala Mohammed, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, Governor Ibrahim Shettina, Governor Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Senator Bukola Saraki and others.
Comrade Elliot Afiyo further added: “Out of these 12 persons screened by our Political Committee, the following were short-listed and endorsed by the NEC during our meeting in Kaduna on May 17, 2017: Senator Bala Mohammed, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo.
“We sent the endorsed persons to our patrons and the leadership of the 42 affiliated organizations who screened and endorsed only two candidates who were considered during our meeting in June 2017 in Kano.
“Out of the two that were endorsed, that is, Senator Bala Mohammed and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Senator Bala Mohammed was finally endorsed and was also accepted by our patrons. We believe, and strongly too, that Senator Bala Mohammed is a detribalized Nigerian who does not attach sentiments of religion and ethnicity in his dealings with any citizen. He also has goodwill and acceptability both nationally and internationally. His credibility is unquestionable and his loyalty and interest of the North within the national interest is surely not in doubt…
“We want to send a message to all political parties that may field southern presidential candidates in 2019, that their actions are as good as committing political suicide.
“Our elders are also advised to steer clear of supporting any presidential candidate from the South in 2019 as we cannot afford to gamble with the presidency as we did in 2011. This is our stand point and there is no going back.”
However, to back its plans up, the ADP South-South zonal coordinator, Senator Rowland Owie added: “In 1987, it was to be the turn of the South-East to produce the president after Shehu Shagari, but it was aborted. The south-easterners have been the bedrock of development of this country, so their rights must be given to them. After the North has finished its slot and presidency returned to the South, it will go to the South-East.
“You cannot continue to deceive the Igbo. So, the truth is that we now know those who destroyed PDP, we now know those who destroyed ACN that is now APC. Certainly, even though the nation’s Constitution says that nobody can stop anybody from entering a political party, we know those to stop; so the issue of hijacking will not come up.”