By Emma Aman
NIGERIANS in The Netherlands, have said it would be tantamount to “political betrayal” for the North to abandon the South-South in its quest to produce the next President and urged the North to support South-South  to rule from 2011 -2015.

Leader of the Nigerian community in The Netherlands, Chief Lambert Igboanugo,  in a statement in The Hague, Netherlands, weekend, said the South-South has been a political ally of the North since 1957 and 2011 should be pay-back time for the oil-rich region.

“We are favourably disposed to the option because it would allow the North rule for eight unbroken years from  2015-2023, whereas if Jonathan is not allowed to run, the North will only  rule from 2011-2015 before other parts of the country begin to agitate for the position,” he said.

Chief Igboanugo,  who is also a patron of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Holland chapter and co-founder, Ohaneze Ndigbo in The Netherlands, said  not allowing the South-South to rule from 2011 will  hurt the long standing relationship between the North and the South-South, which dates back to pre -independence era and at the expense of former Eastern Region.

He said, “it is also on record that South-South has always towed the political path with the North in the quest to unit Nigeria, example, Nigerian/Biafran war. They did the same in 1959 when other parties could not win outside their regions and in 1979, allowing NPN to win the presidential election as against their South East neighbour, led by Dr. Azikwe’s NPP.

They also wholly voted and in line with the Northern positions in 1983, 1999, 2003 and 2007. It will be a political betrayal for the North to abandon Niger- Delta this time that divine intervention has thrown up a loyal president,  who served late President Yar’Adua so well with unparallel loyalty.”

On the zoning debacle, Igboanugo said, “the crucial question we ask is, where was PDP when South -South political bloc were offering all those supports to their Northern brothers since 1957 till date? It is an irony for any presidential candidate from  anywhere  in Nigeria to campaign for  true federalism and resource control, it  is like weeping more than the bereaved or promising to do every thing for a child,  provided he gives you his lunch to eat.”