By Chimezie Godfrey
Nigeria Equity Group (NEG) has called for a Southern Christian Presidency come 2023 to ensure equity and fairness in the country.
The National Convener, NEG, Dr Emeka Nwosu reiterated this call on Wednesday in Abuja. at a press conference with the theme,”2023: Year of The Southern Christian President.”
Nwosu also commended the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum on the necessity for power shift to the south.
He thanked the Southern Governors for speaking in one voice and for demonstrating boldness in making the call for presidential power shift to the South in 2023.
“We are excited that our position and campaign which we began over a year ago has been validated and is finding expression in diverse voices.
“We note that this position has found support too in Northern politicians of goodwill who are fair-minded, such as the Governor of Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum. Zulum said, I quote frankly that: “I have said it times without should go the South in the year 2923 because the unity of our country is very very important.”
He added,”We welcome this gradual shift towards a consensus on a Southern presidency in 2023. It is good for the unity, stability and diversity of our country.
“It will further strengthen the principle of rotational presidency and promote inclusion in our body polity.
“However, we wish to note and state clearly that the call for a Southern presidency in 2923 by the Southern Governors did not go far enough.
“The country is at the moment riven by strife, stoked y religious distrust, suspicion and fear of domination. Things have become so bad that only a delicate balancing in 2023 can begin to redress these anomalies and restore faith and hope in the country again.
“We strongly believe that the only way to truly promote fairness and inclusion in our drivers and complex society, especially at this time of unprecedented national crises, is for power to shift to a Southern Christian in 2023. Anything other than this will further excerbate the rifts and wounds that have become more evident lately and not bode well for our country.”
Nwosu noted that that Nigeria’s population is divided almost in equal half by the adherents of the two major faiths of Christianity and Islam.
According to him, since 1999 with the return to democratic rule, power has interchanged at the highest level between practitioners if these two faiths, ensuring that there is balance and inclusion at the highest level of our politics.
He added that to a large extent, this has provided some assurance to the heterogeneous groups which make up the country that no faith or group will dominate the other.
He warned that it should not be different in 2023, to shut out Christians who make up about half of Nigeria’s population from power for 16 years, assuming another Muslim takes over from Buhari, adding that it will be grossly unfair and bad politics that will lead to deleterious outcome for the country.
“If it happens, it would mean that no Christian can have hope to become President of this country in the foreseeable future. There is a zero chance of a Christian minority emerging president from the North when power shifts there again.
“The population of the North is overwhelmingly Islamic and the Christian minorities barely feature in the mainstream politics of the region, except in a handful of states.
“Therefore, the only chance of a Christian becoming President in Nigeria is when there is power shifts to the South, as it will happen in 2023.
“We therefore urge the political class to tread carefully and to work towards a Southern Christian consensus in 2023, in order to avert religious strife that will further weaken the bond that binds us,” he stressed.
Nwosu pointed out that already, the country is beset by all forms of conflicts and problems. The Separatist fervor has gone up, the polity is heated and irredentist very where are challenging the basis for the unity of the state.
“We need not add religious crises to the mix of conflicts and problems that we are dealing with now.
“We need to heal not bleed more. We have very competent Christian politicians, technocrats and leaders, who have the experience and national outlook to lead this country well and treat everyone in a just and fair manner.
“We call on all the major political parties to put the peace and stability of the country first this time by reserving their presidential tickets for competent and experienced Southern Christians,” Nwosu stressed.
