The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has re-echoed calls for the presidential seat to be zoned to the South-East region of the country, insisting its stance is based on morality.
The leader of the group, Ayo Adebanjo, said this on Sunday in Ogun State, explaining that the region should produce the next president in the spirit of fairness and unity.
“It is a question of principle. It is a question of morality. It’s a question of being inclusive in everything we do,” he said during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. “If you want peace, you must have equity.”
According to him, since the South-West has had its turn with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the South-South with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, political parties should zone the post to the South-East.
“Is South-East not in the south? Is it not in Nigeria?” the Afenifere leader asked, maintaining that the country had always given consideration to every part even during the pre-Independence days.
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For him, moves such as federal character and zoning, are some of the things that have given Nigerians a sense of oneness.
“It is because of this inclusiveness we put federal character in the constitution,” he added.
The elder statesman, who also spoke about moves to review the constitution, accused President Muhammadu Buhari of having a “private agenda” for not pushing for the creation of state police in the country.
“Until you change this constitution – it is the problem of the country – you won’t get anywhere and there is evidence that Buhari is not willing because, in my own view, he has a private agenda,” Chief Adebanjo said.
State police, he said, is the panacea to tackling the rising levels of insecurity across the country, lamenting the increased crime rate.
He said the “everyday kidnapping; everyday bombing” and other crimes are serious issues, expressing concerns that they may affect the conduct of next year’s polls.
