Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has described the North Central as the most marginalised region of the country since independence in 1960 saying it should be allowed to produce the president in 2023.

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He spoke against the backdrop of a statement by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation,  demanding the zoning of the presidency to the South East in 2023 as a fundamental ingredient for national unity.

Presidential General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor  had said that wherever the next president of Nigeria comes from will send a strong message to Ndigbo on their fate in Nigeria.

But Bello who countered  the marginalisation stance of the South East said the North Central has never produced the president nor vice president,  unlike the South East and that it was only proper that the region be allowed to produce President Muhamamdu Buhari’s successor in 2023.

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He also urged the media to downplay fault lines on insecurity in the country.

Bello who was in the Presidential Villa to brief President Muhammedu Buhari on the state of insecurity in his state said: “Well, if you’re talking of South East then you will equally talk of North Central not only since 1999, but since 1960. So what do you say  of North Central, both the president and vice president? So put the situation of South East and that of North Central side by side, then who is more disadvantaged in terms of the position of  presidents and vice presidents? So if you put both sides together, then let’s do justice, and whichever way you look at it, I am eminently qualified.”

On who he thinks should take over from President Buhari in 2023 and if he informed him about his ambition, Bello said: “Mr. President would want a vibrant, experienced, energetic, patriotic Nigerian to take over from him and in all of the qualities that Nigerians are yearning, or looking for today, I possess all of these qualities by the special grace of God.

“Nigerians are yearning and asking me to run for the President come 2023 and by the special grace of God I will not turn down that offer.” Reminded that the presidency by 2023 would have stayed eight years in the north and going by the north – south divide, the APC might zone it to the south, he said: “First I’m an advocate of capacity and ability to serve. In Nigeria today, we need somebody who have the capacity to serve the country. Today if you’re flying from one place to another, you don’t care who the pilot is, but who is that person who is experienced to fly from one point to another. Also coming from the angle of north and south  divide then let us be very fair and equitable. Then you look into the number of years the north has held this position and the number of years the south has held this position. If you add eight years to what south has had and then looking at the north, then you know that there’s injustice as far as that is concerned.”

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Asked if he will still declare for the position after the APC convention, he said: “I shall declare after February by the grace of God.”

(Sun)