A prominent Yoruba political activist, Ebunola Martins, has thrown his weight behind zoning of Nigerian presidency to the South-East in 2023.
Martins, who is the Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo Support Groups (BOSG), on Tuesday, March 1, suggested that the two dominant political parties, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), should zone their 2023 presidential ticket to the South-East.
Featuring in Arise Television programme, The Morning Show, Martins insisted that the South-East should produce the presidency next year for the sake of equity and fairness.
Said he: “First, I am a Yoruba man before becoming a Nigerian. I believe in the Yoruba people and I believe in our tribe and tradition, so I cannot betraying a Yoruba man.
“In this 2023 election, if we want to be fair, and we want to talk about zoning, the unwritten zoning, because as you know, people have said it is not constitutional, I agree that it is not constitutional, some people have said zoning will not give you the best, I agree, but for fairness and justice, and that is why I am saying that even my big brother, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, if I were him, I will not run for the election.
“I will encourage my brothers from the East. We are friends, we are the same, we are from the South.
“We (Southwest) have had our own, South-South have had their shot, I will encourage the easterners to do so.
“Even both political parties should bring their candidates from the southeast, just like we did in 1999 that we brought both (Olusegun) Obasanjo and (Olu) Falae just to give the southwest that comfort that you are part of us, even that (1993) election was annulled, we don’t hate you as a region.
“So, the two major political parties brought out these two people and I think that is what we should do for the south-easterners.
“I believe so. My vote will go to South-East. As a person, I believe we should give them that grace of the opportunity to do that.”
Martins’ position is seen is a boost for the presidential aspiration of South-East presidential aspirants, prominent among them being Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, a leading contender for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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