By Isaac Aregbesola
Sen. Ken Nnamani, an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, says it will amount to injustice for the party to jettison zoning in the 2023 general elections.
He said this on Thursday in Abuja shortly after picking his Nomination and Expression of Interest form for the 2023 presidential race.
The former Senate President said that zoning had become a reality in the nation’s political history.
He said that the agitation about zoning by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, was a justifiable one.
He said that he would endeavour to reach out to his political brothers and sisters in other parts of the country to realise his ambition in 2023.
Nnamani said: “On the issue of zoning, politics is a game of number, we will reach out to our brothers and sisters across the country.
“And, it is necessary that we talk about the zoning because it is a reality in our political history but we will reach out to our colleagues.
“That is why I was talking about being a Senate President, it helped me to have friends across the country.
“So Ohaneze’s agitation is a justified one. I do not make any pretense about that.”
The presidential hopeful, however, said that he would use different methods to actualise his dream by seeking for cooperation among his political colleagues.
“I will recommend strongly our ability to appeal to our colleagues and build a bridge or bridges across various ethnic groups.
“If zoning is jettisoned by the party, injustice would have been done.
“But as a party man, I would abide by the party’s decision and do whatever is necessary for it to succeed,” he said.
He promised that he would focus on security, if elected. According to him, without security, there will be no progress or sustained development.
Nnamani said: “Today, I have come to fulfill that declaration to run for the post of the president so it is now a reality.
“I have picked the form already so a lot can be expected of me because I have been through a high office in the past.
“When I became the senate president, many Nigerians were doubting the authenticity, reliability and effectiveness of the National Assembly (NASS).
“But no sooner than I took over, we tried to reinvent the NASS.
“Our country is facing a similar crisis now, even a more dangerous one.
“It seems to me that any person who will assist our country would start by dealing with the issue of insecurity because without security, there can be no progress.
“There can be no sustained development. So, security is number one thing on the table.
“Most secure nations are patriotic nations, people there are patriotic,” Nnamani said.
He, therefore, promised to rekindle the spirit of patrotism in Nigerians so that they could believe and talk Nigeria at all times. (NAN)
