Ahead of 2023 presidential election, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Sir Roland Owie, has urged the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone the presidential ticket to the north.
Owie, who made the call in an interview with journalists in Benin, Edo State capital, said since 1999, the South under PDP has governed the country for 14 years while the north has been in charge for less than three years.
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“PDP is the only party that believes in the unity of this country, the presidency should go to the North. So, Let no individual interest or ambition stop PDP from doing what is right.”
“Since 1999, the south governed through Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr Goodluck Jonathan for 14 years and North through late Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua rule for less than three years,” he said.
Owie said It was on the basis of injustice done to the South West following the annulment of June 12 election won by late Chief MKO Abiola that the presidency which produced Obasanjo was ceded to the South West by the PDP.
“In that election, the two major political parties decided to feature candidates from the South-West, the PDP presented Olusegun Obasanjo while the APP/AD produced Olu Falae. We went into the election to build unity, build a consensus and that should contineu.”
He said, “Obasanjo won the election despite losing his unit and South West votes and he ruled for eight years. The presidency moved to the North and late President Yar’Adua won but Yar’Adua spent two years plus and God called him and his Vice became acting president and then contested a second one and became president.
” So if you calculate; from 1999 till date under the PDP, the Southern have ruled 14 years as president of this country while the North only took two years plus for the PDP. It is only fair and just for the PDP to produce the next president.”
He said if not for the zoning, it would be difficult for the South to produce the president as the North has more voters population than the South.
