2023: How Fashola got it wrong on South-West presidency – Buhari Support Organization

The Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), South-East Geopolitical Zone, has faulted the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola over his stand that the South-West would produce Nigeria’s President in 2023.

Fashola had while speaking at a special Town Hall Meeting on infrastructure organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Orientation Agency held in Ibadan, Oyo State, called on the people of the South West to support Buhari’s second term bid in order to regain power in 2023.

However, the BSO South-East, in a communique issued after its meeting in Enugu, declared that in 2023, it would be the turn of the South East Geopolitical Zone to produce the President of Nigeria.

The communique was signed by Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka and Barrister Godwin Onwusi, the South-East Coordinator and the Ag. Secretary of the BSO, respectively.

It read in part, “The caucus of the BSO South East Geopolitical Zone met in Enugu from Saturday to Sunday 28 October, 2018, and after exhaustive and detailed analysis of the zoning and rotation of president convention from Southern Belt to Northern Belt in 1999 to date; came to the inevitable conclusion that it is the turn of the South East to produce President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction.

“Our proclamation is hinged on the truism that the rotation convention was introduced in 1999 for equity, justice, peace and unity of our dear country. That the rotation convention is meant to erase the fears of marginalisation of any ethnic nationality, hence implant sense of belonging to all Nigerians.”

They recalled how “His Excellency, Dr Alex Ekwueme of blessed memory was shoved aside from a party he co-founded, in order to appease the South West, and His Excellency Ogboniya Onu was also in the same manner shoved aside, hence the commencement of the rotation of president from the South West in 1999.

“That in spite the shoddy manner Ekwueme was treated at the Jos Peoples Democratic Party convention and Onu at the defunct All Peoples Party convention at Kaduna, Ndigbo still went ahead to vote along the agreed rotation convention.

“It is as well worthy to note that in spite of unintended consequences the zoning convention train progressively moved North in 2007, South South in 2010 and North in 2015.

“Taking into consideration that our brothers and sisters of the South West and South South are primary beneficiaries of the zoning convention – 8 & 5 plus years respectively; it behoves on all patriots and people of good conscience to accord the South East our due.

“The true position is that since our return to civil rule in 1999, the South East is the only geopolitical zone in the Southern Belt that had not tasted the juicy and cosy ambience of Aso Rock Villa. We are patiently waiting for 2023 for South East to occupy Aso Rock.

“Without being immodest anything contrary will regrettably reinforce the view of those who do not cherish the uncommon stride of Nigeria as a giant of Africa. And most importantly will unwittingly reinforce the views of those who both overtly and covertly preach a disintegrated Nigeria.

“Accordingly, we shall mobilise Ndigbo both home and abroad, in a Bi-Partisan manner to vote for Buhari in 2019. For Buhari’s victory is surest route to our quest for President in 2023.”

On the ongoing debate on restructuring, the BSO reassured Nigerians that “APC and by extension President Buhari is not against restructuring; APC is putting finishing touches to the Malam Nasir Elrufia Committee’s report on restructuring. What we disagree with is the undefined agreement of Ohaneze Ndigbo Leadership with His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s vague promise on restructuring within six months in office.

“Therefore, BSO cautions that we should avoid boarding ‘One Chance Bus’, because we hunger to restructure our over centralised center; for restructuring cannot be done with Fiat-Executive-Order, without the amendment of relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which falls into the rigid cadre.”