Nigeria: Protesters Storm PDP, APC, Insist Power Must Go to the South

A group of protesters, largely from a group by name, the Concerned Nigeria Citizens, on Wednesday, barricaded entrances to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) secretariat gates, insisting that power must shift to the southern part of the country after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office.

The protesters that stormed the PDP national secretariat at about 11 am carried several placards on why the Nigeria’s presidency must shift to south in 2023.

Although at the PDP national secretariat, known as the Wadata Plaza, no official of the party accorded them any audience, they thereafter proceeded to the Blantyre office of the APC, where the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Felix Morka, told them the ruling party was yet to take a position.

At the PDP office in Wuse Zone 6, vehicular movement was disrupted due to the large presence of the protesters as motorists had to take alternate routes to navigate out of the traffic confusion.

Before departing the PDP office, leader of the group,  Femi Odabinu, presented a letter to the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, in absentia.

According to the letter, which read in parts, the Concerned Nigeria Citizen stated, “This letter becomes imperative, in the wake of the National questions that have begun to emerge, on the zoning of the Presidential ticket of your party, ahead of the forthcoming 2023 Presidential election, in our country and presentation of zoning committee report expected to be laid today.

“We are seriously concerned as patriotic Nigerians, that just a few days to the presidential primaries of your party, the party is yet to intimate Nigerians about its decision, in respect of where it is zoning the Presidential ticket to.

“Recall, that the rotation of power in Nigeria, goes beyond mere aspiration of political parties, but also a tool, towards ensuring national unity and  stability, and in this regard, candidates from the southern Nigeria, must be allowed to occupy the position of president in the country come 2023.

“We also wish to remind you, that the established convention is that power must rotate between the North and the South. Hence a president of northern extraction follows that of Southern extraction and vice versa. Any consideration outside of this is foul and may destabilise the polity.

Chuks Okocha and
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja