From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Chairman, Olamaboro Local Government Traditional Council, Kogi State, and the Ejeh of Olamaboro, Enek’ojokpuche, Ujah Sani Simeon, said the North Central region should be supported to produce Nigeria’s next President in 2023.
He noted that the North Central, being the belt that held Nigeria’s peace and unity since independent, suffered the highest casualties during the civil war and has 70 per cent casualties of banditry in present-day Nigeria.
The Ejeh of Olamaboro, Simeon disclosed this yesterday during a courtesy visit to the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Joint Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emirs, Plateau State, Da. Jacob Gyang Buba in his Palace in Jos.
“There is nothing wrong for the entire country to support the North Central zone to produce the President of Nigeria in 2023. The North West has done it, the North East has produced Vice President, the South West has governed Nigeria and currently has the Vice President and the South-South has been Vice President and later President, only the North Central has not been President nor Vice President, therefore, they deserve the support of other zones to produce the kind of President Nigerians want.
“The North Central is truly the headquarters of poverty in this country. As I was coming to Jos, I saw our women backing their babies, breaking stones and gathering them to sell to be able to feed.
“It is sad that more than 70 per cent of the victims of banditry in this country are our people from the North Central, yet we have made a lot of sacrifices since independent to keep Nigeria in peace and unity.”
He lamented that the North Central has not been fairly treated by Nigerians despite its role in feeding the country and championing peace, unity and equity in Nigeria.
Simeon said although the South East appears to have been suffering the same fate with the North Central and advised them to shelve their ambition and support the zone for a payback.
The Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Joint Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emirs and President Plateau State Traditional Council, Da. Jacob Gyang Buba said Nigeria Constitution does not place any restriction on any geo-political zone from contesting the Presidency.
He advised that the ambition should be pursued in a peaceful and polite manner that other Nigerians will see the need to key in despite the fact that they also have the constitutional backing to seek for the position.
Da. Buba said he is solidly behind the restructuring of the country in a context of adding more resources to the State and the Local Government Areas where the majority of Nigerians reside.
