From Fred Itua, Abuja

Northern leaders under the aegis of North Central People’s Forum (NCPF) have called for power shift to the South East, North East or North Central in 2023 to correct injustices the three regions have suffered since 1999.

Secretary General of the group, Khaleel Bolaji, at a press conference in Abuja said though they were opposed to zoning or power shift by political parties, it was important to carry every region along and give them a sense of belonging in the country.

He said the North Central was particularly shortchanged in the scheme of things in Nigeria and there was the need to allow it produce next president. On the marginalisation of the North Central, Bolaji said Bauchi State in North East has more heads of federal parastatals than the entire North Central states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) .

“We are out to make sure that the North Central is not shortchanged in the Nigerian project. We hold this country; without the North Central there’s no Nigeria. We have not been given our rightful place. In fact, since Nigeria returned to democracy, North Central has had more votes during general elections than the South West but they make more noise about it. Our region is the food basket of the nation.”

Bolaji alleged that those agitating for the president to come to the South were dividing the country and should stop the campaign.

“We stand for competence. Since 1999, the South has had more years in office as president than the North. We should stop dividing this country. We should jettison this idea of zoning. Even within the geographical North, the North Central is being shortchanged. The constitution doesn’t recognise zoning of the position of the president. We have the support of our governors. This group was created to fight for the region.

“We don’t believe in what southern governors said that the presidency must come to the South. They’re just heating up the policy. Nigeria as a country needs the right person to manage this country irrespective of where the person comes from. Even northern governors come out today and say power must shift to the region, we will oppose them too. We are Nigerians.Anybody from North Central who comes out, we will support him or her.”