Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Forum of former and serving members of the House of Representatives on the platform of Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) explained that if the presidential ticket is opened to all, the best candidate will emerge.
Speaking on behalf of the Forum, Mukhtar Ahmed claimed the debate on zoning is a poisoned chalice calculated to shift attention and focus away from the incompetency and failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ahmed said: “In a democratic setting such as ours, particularly so in our very democratic PDP, zoning and rotation at no time in our history have taken the place of the democratic and constitutional need to seek any elective office, including the presidency.
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“Even when the founding fathers of the party were alive, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi was allowed to have his say and the leaders and party members, through their votes, had their way.
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“What mattered most to the founding fathers and leaders was getting the right candidate who was sellable, formidable and had the capacity to assure of good governance and promote democracy.
“Northern leaders at the time based on the wise decision to promote equity, fairness and justice within the party allowed for a North/South power rotation hence President Olusegun Obasanjo’s eight years in office,” he said.
Another member of the Forum, Hassan Saleh said: ”what Nigerians are yearning for is good governance, Nigerians are saying let us have a credible person that will unify the country, they want candidates that can secure and develop Nigeria and not the candidate that will emerge because of zoning arrangement without anything to show of.
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He insisted that “Whether the next President is from the North or South shouldn’t be an issue”.
“Political parties should not inflame the polity by this demand for zoning, he cautioned.
Saleh added: “I have seen on the news, what Nigerians want now is a change from poverty, insecurity, a change from ethnic jingoism and change from division to unity. So this should be the major concern of political parties across the country, including the PDP. What is important is that Nigeria needs that selfless and visionary leader that will unite the country.
“And that is what should be of concern to all Nigerians. So the parties should provide a level playing field, that is the only way to get the best for Nigeria”.
