The presidential ambition of the National leader of All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has suffered some setback as the Nigeria Equity Group demanded for a Southern Christian president in 2023.
However, the group, which spoke in Abuja on Wednesday, refused to comment directly on Tinubu’s ambition.
Tinubu is a Muslim from the Southern part of Nigeria.
Although the former two-term Lagos State Governor has yet to declare his ambition, various political groups have been formed to pursue the 2023 agenda for him.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the National Convener of the NEG, Emeka Nwosu, said the only way to truly promote fairness and inclusion in 2023 is for power shift to a Southern Christian as president, adding that anything other than that will further exacerbate the rifts and wounds that have become more evident lately and not bode well for the country.
The group cautioned against shutting out Christians, who make up about half of Nigeria’s population, from power for 16 years, assuming another Muslim takes over from the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group said: “We strongly believe that the only way to truly promote fairness and Inclusion in our diverse complex society, especially at this time of unprecedented national crisis, is for power shift to Southern Christian in 2023.
“Anything other than this will further exacerbate the rifts and wounds that have become more evident lately and not bode well for our country.
“Nigeria’s population is divided almost in equal by half by the adherents of the two major faiths of Christianity and Islam.
“Since 1999 with the return of democratic rule, power has interchanged at the highest level between practitioners of these two faiths, ensuring that there is balance and inclusion at the highest level of our politics.
“To a large extent, this has provided some assurance to the heterogeneous groups, which make up the country, that no faith or group will dominate the other.
“It should not be different in 2023.
“To shut out Christians, who make up about half of Nigeria’s population, from power for 16 years, assuming another Muslim takes over from Buhari, will be grossly unfair and bad politics that will lead to deleterious outcome for the country.”
On the ambition of Tinubu, the Convener said won’t comment because he has not declare his intention.
