The Bauchi state Governor and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirant, Senator Bala Mohammed’s campaign organisation has described zoning as fraudulent, perfidious and deceptive.
Spokesperson Bala Mohammed campaign organisation, Professor Udenta Udenta, stated this Thursday while interacting with newsmen in Abuja.
Udenta explained that, if the South East is not considered in the zoning arrangement, rather than supporting a South West hegemony, he would support a progressive Northerner like Bala Muhammed.
He assured that if elected, the former Minister Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will help mainstream the South easterners in an inclusive governance model.
He said: “No South East son or daughter will encourage the sustenance and maintenance of Southwest hegemony. Rather, I will look for progressive Northerner like Bala Muhammed, who is going to help mainstream my people in an inclusive governance model.”
He added that “zoning from the North to the South is fraudulent, is perfidious, and is a grand deception.
“It means nothing because you can use that to do what makes it even impossible for the South East to seek and get the presidency.”
He noted that politicians from the South East have been supporting other zones, adding that the zones that have had a go in the presidency shouldn’t come out this time.
The spokesperson of Bala Mohammed Campaign organisation also said the former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinubu and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who are from South West for equity, justice and fairness are not suppose to be in the race.
He continued: “Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no business being in this business, neither is Osinbanjo or anybody from the Southwest. That zone must be denied its claim on the Presidency this time around. So also is the South-south, Wike and the rest of them.
“Jonathan was the Vice President for two and a half years and the President for almost five and a half years. Osibanjo was Vice President for almost eight years. Obasanjo was President for eight years.
“So if you don’t zone to the Southeast, you have zoned nothing. And therefore liberated intellectually, philosophically or strategically, to look for a progressive Northerner, who can include the South-east in the compensation for power.
“Critical thinkers have followed in that direction. Atiku said so himself that he will not campaign further if the South-south and South-west relinquish their claim and give it to the Southeast. Nobody spoke, nobody talked.
“So if for any reason, there will not be any South easterners on the ticket of the two major parties, the choice open to you is do we continue with Nigeria? Or do you now do something else? I will continue with Nigeria. I don’t know any other country.
“From 1967, the alliance between Gowon and Awolowo has cemented the hegemony of the Northwest and the Southwest.
“No South East son or daughter will encourage the sustenance and maintenance of Southwest hegemony. Rather, I will look for progressive Northerner like Bala Muhammed, who is going to help mainstream my people in an inclusive governance model.”
On the north consensus arrangement, Professor Udenta explained that “Senator Bala Mohammed and Abubakar Saraki emerged as the consensus aspirants without undermining the integrity of the other contestants, who are free to pursue their political ambition to the best of their ability, including other individuals, who did not participate in the consensus arrangement, who of course are not bound by this decisions.
“The consensus arrangement among these four was not an end in itself, but a means to an end,” he said.
