By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – FORMER Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army and a leader in the South-South, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen (rtd) has carpted alleged plots by some interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone the presidency to the north ahead of 2023 presidential election.

 Speaking with Vanguard yesterday, he said it was undemocratic and those thinking of such an idea do not mean well for the country.

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  He said “It means that the presidency will remain for another eight years in the north? I don’t think that will go down well with the southerners and I don’t think that is in good stead or in the right spirit of democracy because democracy preaches freedom in party politics and sharing of the political offices on an equitable basis so I don’t think the South will be comfortable with after having Buhari for eight years, another northerner will take over for another eight years, that means for sixteen years, the presidency will be in the north. That will not go down well for democracy. 

But some people even say we should not bother about zoning but competence but by zoning it to the north again means you are not even talking about the best because you are not going to say that the best must come from the north. 

There are also competent persons in the south who have now been completely locked out of the process, I don’t see that working, I don’t see it working, it will be unjust, it will be unfair, it will be inequitable, it will be undemocratic. 

I do not even imagine that it will happen that after eight years of the presidency in one half of the country, then they will now make the next person come from the same area, I don’t think it will bring peace so those thinking of it should think of the needed peace in the country.”