Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the Chairman of the Southern Governors' Forum, cautioned Tuesday that any political party fielding a Northern candidate in the 2023 Presidential election will lose.
Governors in the southern portion of the country, according to Akeredolu, are committed to ensure that the next president comes from there.
The governor of Ondo State made the remarks during a courtesy visit by members of the Power Rotation Movement, led by Dr. Pogu Bitrus, who is also the Chairman of the Middle Belt Forum.
Other members of the group include Gen. Collins Ihekire (retd), representing the Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Abagun Kole Omololu, National Organising Secretary of Afenifere; Mr Ayodele Oni, representative of the Yoruba Council of Elders; Mr Jaye Ajayi, National Publicity Secretary of Afenfere; Mr Ken Robinson, National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF; and Mr Kennedy Iyere, National Coordinator
"We have come out and proclaimed that power must go to the south in approximately two or three meetings," he says.
"Only a party willing to lose will run a candidate from the north." You've evolved into a movement of political party members banding together.
"Fair and equal power rotation is what we stand for." The only thing that is fair is that it should come to the south after 8 years in the north.
"Some of us believe in a single, just, and egalitarian Nigeria. We have a justification for it, and we can defend it. Some say that the presidency should be chosen on the basis of competence. Is it true that there aren't any competent people in the south?
"The governors of the south, my brothers, are tenacious. We will support anybody we choose as long as it is in the south.
"We're arguing that the President should come from the south." In the South-South, South-East, and South-West, there are folks who deserve it.
"I agree with your strategy. We will win if you can mobilise the youths and prevent the election from being rigged. You should also enlist the help of our women."
Dr. Bitrus, the movement's Chairman, had previously stated that the movement is passionate about power rotation to the south.
"We are passionate believers that power in this country should rotate and migrate from the north to the south," Bitrus added.
"We started the 40-million-vote movement." That is the youth's sensitization. We made it public so that our youth might participate.
"At a meeting in Abuja, leaders from the South and the Middle Belt agreed that power should rotate to the South and the Middle Belt."
therefore any party that selects a candidate from beyond the southern section of the country should be opposed by the south.