Politics
Why North-Central should produce Nigeria’s President in 2023– Baraje
The former acting national chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, on Wednesday advocated for the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 general elections to North-Central.
He said: “It is time for North Central to produce the President of the country, having not produced number one citizen before, since independence.”
While warning Nigerians not to allow the campaign for zoning to be over-flogged in order not to further divide the country, Baraje further confirmed that zoning is clear stated in the party’s constitution stressing that the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar couldn’t have gotten the position of PDP on the zoning principle.
He spoke to journalists in Ilorin as part of activities for his trubaning as the new Tafida of Ilorin on Friday, ROYAL NEWS has gathered.
Baraje said: “His excellency, our leader, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was saying the right thing but he has forgotten that constitution of PDP has been amended and I believe some of us will remind him that it was not in the constitution of PDP for some years but was later introduced and it is clearly stated therein that zoning should be respected.
“There is a caveat in the constitution which states that zoning should be respected for the purpose of giving sense of belonging to all members of the party and for all inclusiveness except and only when a resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) decide otherwise.
“It is stated in the constitution black and white following a review that was done sometime around 2011. Although, before then, it was an oral tradition of PDP and it was even as good as being written. I met it like that when I took over as party National Secretary in 2008. Even when it was an oral tradition of the party, it was highly respected.
“It was formally included in our party constitution in 2011 when we were reviewing the party constitution before I left in 2011.”
He further said he was not sure that the former VP was talking of party constitution adding that, “I think what His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku, was even talking about was Nigeria constitution not PDP, if I got him right, he said, “zoning is not in Nigeria constitution”
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