Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says anyone from any part of the country can run for the position because nothing as zoning exists in Nigeria’s Constitution.
He stated this at a time some Nigerians, especially from the southern part, are insisting that it is the turn of the South to produce the next president of the country and have asked major political parties to zone their presidency to the region.
But Atiku kicked against that expressing confidence that the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not buy into that demand, which according to him is unconstitutional.
He equally said he was hopeful the PDP would adopt the indirect primary, which he said was not only the most efficient and least expensive but also allowed the politically enlightened members of the party to make important decisions for the party.
The former vice president spoke on Thursday when members of Let’s Fix Nigeria with Atiku group paid him a solidarity visit at his residence in Abuja.
Atiku said, “Fundamentally, the Constitution says all of us can run. The Constitution has not barred any one of us. There is no zoning in the Constitution; there is none. I was a member of the constituent assembly that drafted the current constitution and there was nothing like that.”
He said that the idea of zoning was brought in the PDP during a discussion with a former vice president, the late Dr Alex Ekwueme.
“But then, as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, we felt that there should be a sense of belonging. We went and invented this zoning.
“Therefore, we went further to say there should be zonal representation. So, let me assure you that as far as I am concerned, I will observe and implement whatever will bring about the peace and stability of this country,” he said.
Noting that anyone, whether young or old, that is endowed with attributes of leadership is good for the country, Atiku said, “Leadership is endowed by God. You can have a young man come and do better than an old man. So, it is an endowed attribute from God, therefore, we should try to look for such a person who has been endowed by God, who has those attributes and then give him leadership.”
He lamented the current state of things in Nigeria saying: “I have never seen; this country have so many challenges at the same time. So, sometimes, when I am on my bed, I begin to wonder whether to go for it (contest) or not because the challenges are just too many. In my life, I have never seen Nigeria in such a bad situation.
“As far as the unity of this country is concerned, we are more divided. Even when we fought the Civil War, we were never as divided as this. We never have a breakdown of law and order like this because when we fought the Civil War, it was confined to a particular location, in every other place, there was peace.
“We never had this kind of poverty where even the farmer cannot go to farm the food to eat, not to talk of commercial farming. So, I have never seen this country so bad, and it is going to be a daunting task for anybody to come and turn things around.”
Speaking during the visit, the leader of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said that Atiku had all that was needed to unite the country, adding that he had been tested and proven.