2023: North will benefit more under a president from South – Ndume

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has said that the North will benefit more if the next president emerges from the South.

Ndume said in the spirit of equity and fairness, the All Progressives Congress (APC) should zone its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army was reacting to Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu’s call on APC to declare its position during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday.

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Ndume said, “Yes, I am from the north and I’m a Nigerian who believes in the principle of justice, equity and fairness and that is what the party was built on. And I think what Akeredolu said, I advise the party to take a decision on zoning, but even if they delay it a bit, it doesn’t change the position.

“If you look at it, the principle of equity and fairness is a constitutional matter in any party. Federal character is more encompassing than zoning. We zone based on federal character. In the constitution every position must reflect federal character including the president. If APC zones its presidency to the south, other parties can zone wherever they want.

“If the South produces the next president, North will benefit more. The current president came from the North and if you look at it analytically, the South benefited more. So, if the president comes from the South, we will benefit more just as we did previously during (former President Goodluck) Jonathan.

“When Buhari was elected the South benefitted more. They have the vice president who is so powerful because for the first time the president handed over the country to him. That was unprecedented.”