In the light of agitations emanating from different zones, a Coalition for Peace and Justice Advocates (COPJA), has called on the Federal Government to consider the North East for Presidency come 2023.
The group said it made this resolution after a 3-day dialogue to deliberate on key issues of the stalling the nation’s peace and progress
According to a communique released Wednesday in Abuja, the Chairman and Convener of COPJA, Hon. Yakubu Tsala, said the zone has not been recognized for Presidency in either military or civil setting.
The group said that with the rising insecurity in the region, equality and justice remains the solution, however adding that progress would only be achieved when justice and fairness is first achieved.
“ We resolved to advocate that the Presidency of Nigeria should be made to go round all the 6 geopolitical zones as a way of ensuring inclusion and national unity.
“It is a known fact that not all these 6 zones have produced the President of this nation. While the southeast has had the late Nnamdi Azikiwe (6 years) and Late General JTU Aguiyi-lronsi (6 months), the south-south has produced Dr Goodluck Jonathan(5 years), the southwest has also had Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (combined eleven years) and Chief Ernest Shonekan (3 months). The northwest has had General Murtala Mohammed (6 months), Alhaji Shehu Shagari (4 years), General Sani Abacha (5 years), Late President Umar Musa Yar’adua (3 years) and President Muhammadu Buhari (combined ten years). The north central has produced General Yakubu Gowon (9 years), General Ibrahim Babangida (8 years) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1 year).
“The northeast has however produced a Nigerian President for zero seconds, zero minutes, zero days, zero weeks, zero months and zero years,” the communique read.
The group also called on the FG to massively recruit new officers and men into most of the security agencies, explaining that the protection of lives and properties is lagging due to lack of security personnel.
It expressed worries over the President’s decline on signing the Electoral Reform Bill in 2019 which is meant to guarantee more credible elections. It therefore urged all stakeholders to put heads together in ensuring electronic voting and registration.
“We are still doing back and forth on the issue of restructuring and we continue to run a dysfunctional, feeding bottle federation with a unitary police force and with over 68 items on the Exclusive List, including drivers’ licensing, vehicle plate numbering, primary and secondary education etc.
“This is despite the fact that the ruling party had in 2014 listed restructuring – along the line of power devolution and fiscal federalism – as the number one agenda on its manifesto
“Autonomy for state houses of assembly, judiciary and local government will help strengthen our democracy but the federal government cannot continue to hide under the reluctance of state governors to grant that.
“They all must take responsibility for the failure of this structure,” the communique reads
