The National Coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Support Group, Ebunola Martins, has said that the next Nigerian President to succeed Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 should come from the South-East region.
He also urged the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to relinquish his presidential ambition and give his support to the southeastern politicians to contest for the election in 2023.
Martins disclosed this during The Morning Show of Arise TV on Tuesday as he spoke on issues ahead the 2023 Presidential election.
According to Martins, the two major political in the country should produce their candidates from Igboland as it was done in 1999 when the South-West fielded former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Peoples Party (APP) respectively.
The BOSG leader argued that even the South-South had brought former President Goodluck Jonathan, and it will be fair for the next country’s leader to emerge from the South-East.
Martins said, “Come 2023, number one, we as Yorubas, I cannot betray fellow Yoruba men. I love Yoruba, because I’m first a Yoruba man before I become a Nigerian. So, I believe in the Yoruba people and I believe in our tradition.
“But, what I mean is that in this 2023 election, if we want to be fair and we want to talk of zoning, the unwritten zoning because as you know people have said it is not constitutional, I agree with that. It is true, it is not constitutional. Some people have said zoning will not give you the best, I agree.
“But for fear of justice and fair play, that’s why I’m 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, and we are from the south. We have had our own shot, South-South has had their own shot, and I will encourage the Easterners to do so.”
“This is what I will have done. Even both political parties should bring their candidates from the South-East. Just like we did in 1999 that we brought both Obasanjo and Falae just to give the South-West that comfort, that you are part of us even if the election was annulled (in 1993).
“We don’t hate your region. The two major political parties brought out these people. And, I think that’s what we should do for the Southeasterners. I believe so, even without saying anything, my vote will go to the South-East. It doesn’t matter how we do it, but as a person I believe that we should give them that grace and that opportunity to be able to do that,” Martins added.
