A northern group, Arewa Mandate Initiative, says it will support a southern candidate for the 2023 Presidency.
The group said it is committed to the idea of rotating the Presidency between the North and South.
AMI also listed 11 candidates it is ready to support if any of them declares intention to run for President.
The group’s position was contained in a statement by its Coordinator, Muhammed Mubarak, and Secretary, Aminu Muhammed, in Abuja and titled, ‘The North Is Ready For Power Shift To The South In 2023’.
AMI said after consultations across numerous political groups, especially on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the North, it came to the conclusion that the next President of Nigeria should emerged from the Southern part of the country.
AMI’s statement partly read, “While the North looks forward to the south to put forward the best and most acceptable material for the office of the President, the Arewa Mandate Initiative, had conducted a survey of the likely personally that could be said to possess the credentials needed to occupy the exalted office of the country.
“Among those that the North might be looking out for, include, the current Minister of State, Petroleum, Chief Timipriye Sylvia, from Bayelsa State, the current Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amechi, from Rivers, and Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, a former Senate Leader and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, from Cross River state, all from the South-South.
“For the South-East, names like the former Governor of Imo State, Chief Rocha’s Okorocha, the current Minister of Science and Technology, Dr.Chris Ogbomnaya Onu, current Governor of Ebonyi, David Umahi and the former Senate President, Dr, Ken Nnamani, are listed as front runners for the plum job.
“In the South-West, the Arewa may be looking at names like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Leader of APC, current Governor of Ekiti, John Kayode Fayemi, current Minister of Works, Mr. Raji Fashola and current Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as likely materials with the requisite qualification for the office of the President.”
Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, who hails from Katsina State, in northern Nigeria, will complete eight years in office by May 2023 and many Southerners have been agitating for power shift to their region.