The Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Delta Chapter, Mr Oke Idawene, says zoning the 2023 presidency to a particular region of the country is undemocratic and should be discouraged.
Mr. Idawene, in an interview with NAN in Abuja, said that his party was opposed to zoning.
He said the SDP was not for zoning but for competence, adding that it was time we stopped “regional tendencies“ in the country.
He said that Nigeria is one, saying that no matter the situation, the country would not disintegrate, adding that it would be great with the support of all and by God’s grace.
“Let us elect a leader who is a true Nigerian both in body, soul and spirit, so that at the end of the day, we can say Nigeria is going forward not backwards.
“Enough of us being a laughing stock, enough of retrogression, it’s time to move forward, SDP is anti- zoning, we believe in competence.
“For the Southern leaders, am from the South, if you want the presidency in 2023, I call on you to lobby, power is not given for free, it is taken, and it is a collective responsibility,” Idawene said.
He advised political leaders in the zone to leave their comfort zones and go up north to lobby, giving reasons why the south should produce the country’s next president come 2023.
Idawene added that every Nigerian was qualified to run for the presidency irrespective of regions, ethnicity and religion.
On Nigeria’s unity, he appealed to all to support the unity and development of the country.
Idawene assured Nigerians that the country would not disintegrate, appealing to secessionists to stop the agitations and blood shedding.
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) and its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for experimenting with electronic voting at the recently held Delta Isoko South Constituency 1 election.
He expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing INEC to do its job unhindered in the state.
Idawene called on politicians and in particular the National Assembly to support INEC to adopt electronic voting come 2023.
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