Zara Nwachinemere, Abakaliki
Chairman, Technical Committee for the actualization of Atiku Abubakar presidential ambition, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, on Thursday hinted that tenure of the North for the presidential seat has not yet expired.
Dokpesi hinted this in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital while addressing members of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) during a consultation visit to Ebonyi.
He argued that the south has had presidential position for 16 years from 1999-2007 and from 2009-2015, and that naturally, the North should produce the next president of the country in 2023 in line with the rotational presidency in the country.
The Chairman, noted that those clamouring for southern presidency were doing so for their selfish interest and not for the interest of the south.
Adding; “The south had the presidency from 1999-2007 and again from 2009-2015. The tenure of the North is not yet expired, once it is expired, the south will produce the President, the south east in particular. All those clamouring for the Presidency to come to the south in 2023 are not asking for it because of south, they are asking it for their own particular interest and the zone they come from.
“And I can tell you for free of charge even the APC itself will not bring it to south east, the clamour for it is for the benefit of the South West, not for the benefit of the South East. We are interested in power shifting to the south east and we have to lay the proper foundation. Time and care is required”.
Dokpesi, also ordered Governor David Umahi to return the Peoples Democratic Party’s Secretariat to the party, even as he demanded for the immediate release of the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Nwoba Chika Nwoba who was remanded in police custody for alleged fake news and cybercrime.
“I remember vividly when I came here on two, three occasions. The first one was when I was contesting for chairman of the party, this governor met me in Abuja after I had visited here to plead with me to step down from the chairmanship race for the overall interest of the party and in the overall interest of the federal government. Ebonyi citizens love the federal republic of Nigeria.
“This same man did not have sufficient patience when it came to his own personal ambition of becoming the president, he breezed in brutal manner, took the Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, that is a very heinous act , that is the height of brutality and wickedness.
“I call on him to at this point in time return the Secretariat to the PDP in the state, let me also call on him to immediately release the PDP officer whom he has taken to court with trump of charges. We are all supposed to be Democratic not tyrants. People have a right to different opinions and must not be incriminated and dealt with in such a heinous manner.
“I want to call on all members of the Peoples Democratic Party in this place to remain resilient, I believe very shortly you will be hearing some good news, this maltreatment can not be sustained”, he stated.
