[dropcap]A[/dropcap]t the end of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting that was recently concluded it was agreed that the next presidential candidate of the PDP should emerge from the North.
If the presidential candidate of the PDP must come from the north in 2019, I urge the party to choose either from the North East or the North Central .
In democratic governance, the North West has had it’s fair share.
Within the region regional governance itself after independence, Sir Ahmadu Bello was the prime minister, from Sokoto (North West).
The next president of the country Nigeria in the second republic was Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, equally from Sokoto in the North West .
When it was time to choose another democratically elected president from the North, the nation elected Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua from Katsina State in the North West . He was of the PDP.
As regards the vice presidency (usually the sole nominee of the presidential candidate), when a Southerner became a president for the first time ever, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo chose Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from the North East . He’s from Adamawa State.
The next president of southern extraction was Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. He chose the then Kaduna State governor, Arch. Namadi Sambo as vice president. Kaduna State is in the North West.
When the presidency shifted to the APC party, their candidate who is now the current president, General Muhammadu Buhari, he too is from Katsina State in the North West.
Curiously, all the above mentioned presidents and vice presidents of northern extraction have a common thread running through them.
They are all of the Fula ethnic group (Fulani), an influential but minority group in a region of over 200 ethnic groups.
The Fulani tribe has given distinguished service to the nation. We should be grateful to them because it is not always easy at the presidency.
However I’d say that in the spirit of fairplay , the PDP should this time around resist the pressure to pick it’s candidate from the North West. They’ve had their fair share. Let candidates emerge from the North East and North Central in a positive affirmative action. And let the candidate be of other tribes since the Fulani has taken enough turns already .
Religious balance must also be considered, and winnability should come into play.
No Christian candidate has ever emerged from the North. That’s really not fair. Nigeria belongs to us all.
There are excellent Christians and excellent Muslims from either the North East or North Central zones. They all occupy large swathes of territory and have sizable voter population.
Let the search begin.
The vice presidential running mate, though at the discretion of the presidential candidate, should emanate not from the South South nor the South West. This should be narrowed to the South East even though the former vice president to President Shehu Shagari, Dr. Alex Ekwueme is from the South East . The South West has enjoyed two terms in the presidential seat. A South Southerner has been both vice president and also president.
Good luck, PDP. You have a date with destiny come 2019 to restore real democratic values, rule of law, obedience to court orders, removal of impunity, stoppage of arbitrary arrests, rejecting nepotistic and tribal bills, holding conclusive elections, proper budgeting values, freedom of expression without fear of harassment, thorough and working deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector, restoration of confidence in the economy, freedom of religion and unity of the country .
PDP, you have your work cut out for you.
Greg Abolo is a public affairs analyst. You may reach him by email HERE.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
