Atiku on zoning: Nigeria’s president can come from any region

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, says Nigeria’s president can come from any part of the country.

Abubakar spoke on Thursday at the national executive committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.

The former vice-president said the geopolitical zone of the president is not the solution to the problems of the country.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the right to determine its rules and how the party should be governed. The people of Nigeria also have the rights to determine who governors them,” he said.

“Where the president comes from has never been the problem of Nigeria. I can cite examples — neither will it be the solution.

“There is no such thing as a president from southern Nigeria or a president from northern Nigeria. There is only one — a president from Nigeria, for Nigeria and by Nigerians.

“Talking about inclusion, I will like to see a new national working committee of our party that has sizeable numbers of youths and women.

“The decision of NEC today will either see us PDP in the villa in 2023 or not. Since the inception, this party has faced serious challenges and has risen above sentiment to solve those challenges and move forward.”

The NEC is currently in a closed-door meeting to discuss the resolution of the zoning committee, among other issues, ahead of the party’s national convention on October 30.

TheCable had reported that the committee zoned the national chairmanship position to the north — an early indication that the presidential ticket may go to the south.

TheCable learnt that the resolution of the zoning committee may stir fresh crisis in the party as some party chieftains in the north, including the former vice-president are not in support of the decision.