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— insist parties must zone slot to the south

Dayo Johnson Akure

A pan-Yoruba social-cultural group, the Defense for Yoruba People’s Right (DYPR) has warned that any Presidential aspirant from the South that accepted the Vice President’s slot would be treated as Judas.

It insisted that for equity, fairness and justice, the two prominent political parties must zone the presidential ticket to the southern part of the country.

The group in a statement signed by its National President Otunba Muyideen Olamoyegun, in Akure, said it considers the brazen marginalisation of the South thus far in the scheme of things outrageous.

” Therefore for equity, fairness and justice demand that the presidency is zoned to the zone, insisting that the APC, PDP and other political parties must pick their candidates from the south.

This, the group said, would further enhance balancing in the Nigerian democratic system.

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They warned presidential aspirants from the zone against açcepting vice-presidential slot from any political party, saying any aspirant that takes such an offer will be treated as “Judas Iscariot” in the zone.

“We state that the people of the Southern parts of the country will regard any presidential aspirant from the zone that takes vice president slot from any candidate as “Judas Iscariot” What we want is president.

It fumed over what it terms as “systematic infusion of apartheid” in Nigerian politics.

” The group said that “southern Nigeria have competent, experienced, committed and skilled politicians who could take over from President Mohammadu Buhari and successfully steer the ship of the country, and we strongly recommend these southern aspirants to their respective parties for internal mechanisms that will be favourable to Southern part of the country.”

“We wish to appeal most passionately to the electorates to vote wisely during the presidential election in order to secure the future of our children.”

Olamoyegun said “the group with membership drawn from different parts of the southwest states is striving, not only to promote the essence of Yoruba homogeneity but to propagate the core values of fairness, equity and justice, for which the Yoruba are reputed and respected.

“It has been difficult to salvage the South from the perennial pestilence of marginalisation, because the zone was not able to speak and advance its cause with one voice against the recurrent imposition in past elections.

He added that “Political parties should focus on credible aspirants, their skills, knowledge, talents and experience that will endear them to the electorate in order to facilitate the progress and welfare of the people of the country

Vanguard News Nigeria