*Set to tour geo-political zones
ONYEDI GABRIEL, Port Harcourt
Political leaders planning to draft former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2023 presidential race have intensified agitation to zone the next presidency to the Southsouth.
The leaders, under the aegis of the Southsouth Presidency 2023 Advocacy Group (SPAG), have been touring states in the zone to create awareness for their agitation.
It was earlier reported that some northern governors on the platform of the APC were plotting to draft Jonathan into the presidential race too.
The two groups have reportedly coalesced and are said to have slated a tour of the six geo-political zone on the need to allow the former president return to complete four constitutionally allowed years.
As part of the plan, the Southsouth stakeholders were asked to first begin the agitation from the zone to be supported later by the northern cabal.
It was gathered that the SPAG held its second meeting in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, at the weekend with emphasis on the need for the Southsouth to produce the next president.
The group in a communique after the meeting, supported the Southern governors call for a southern president in 2023 but insisted that the position be micro-zoned to the Southsouth.
The communique was signed by the group’s Protem Chairman and Jonathan’s trusted associate, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha.
Others, who signed the document were Charles Udonwa, Akwa Ibom; Idutimi Komonibo, Bayelsa; Ekpeyong Eyamba, Cross River; Dr. Uwamose Amadasun, Edo; Jahswill Onyemahiwe, Delta and Elemchukwu Ogbowu, Rivers.
The communique said: “The aim of the conference is to reemphasise the need for the Southsouth geopolitical zone to produce a president of the extraction come 2023.
“The Southsouth zone believes in the unity and indivisibility of Nigeria. The Southsouth has paid her dues to stabilise Nigeria and therefore needs to be supported by other zones to produce the president come 2023.
“The Southsouth has experienced, capable, trusted and reliable human resources to plot the affairs of this country.
“The group supports the Southern governors’ call for a Southern president in 2023. However, we advocate that the presidency be micro-zoned to the Southsouth come 2023”.
The group called on relevant authorities to double their efforts to ensure the security of lives and properties of the citizens to guarantee peaceful coexistence.
SPAG in the communique further lamented the deplorable condition of the Calabar-Itu Road and called on the Federal Government to rehabilitate it.
It also decried alleged lopsidedness in the delineation of additional polling units across the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and called for immediate correction in subsequent
The communique added: “The group also called on INEC to expand the capacity of the registration portal to accommodate all eligible voters in the Southern region so as not to disenfranchise voters.
“The group frown at the negative propaganda, intimidation and character assassination by some persons against the Southsouth political leaders”.
There, meanwhile, indications that Jonathan is headed for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to realize the dream, as a source disclosed to First News that he was prime to defeat from PDP latest December.
However, some political observers in the South have reportedly smelt a rat in the agenda, as they see it as a ploy by the North, to make power go southwards for only four years, before returning to the North.