Group, known as Arewa Mandate Initiative (AMI), a coalition of northern groups, has issued a statement disclosing that the north is currently considering certain southern politicians that would receive their support in the 2023 general elections.
According to Punch report, the coalition said a majority of northerners are committed to the idea of rotating the presidency between the north.
The group made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, June 3, in a statement issued by its coordinator, Muhammed Mubarak, and the secretary, Aminu Muhammed, in Abuja.
AMI said that consultations across numerous political groups, especially on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platforms in the north in the last three months have shown evidence of the commitment to ensuring that the next president of Nigeria emerged from the southern part of the country.
According to the statement, the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; the minister of petroleum, Timipre Sylvia; are among the eminent candidates from the south-south who can succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
It also noted that the governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi and the former governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha are some of the presidential candidates from the southeast zone.
The list of the prospective candidates from the south-south and the southeast according to the group are:
1. Minister of transportation – Rotimi Amaechi
2. Minister of state, petroleum – Chief Timipre Sylvia
3. Former Senate leader – Victor Ndoma Egba
4. Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state
5. Former governor of Imo state – Rochas Okorocha
6. Minister of science and technology – Ogbonnaya Onu.
The statement reads: “While the north looks forward to the south to put forward the best and most acceptable material for the office of the president, the Arewa Mandate Initiative, had conducted a survey of the likely personalities that could be said to possess the credentials needed to occupy the exalted office of the president of the country.
“Among those that the north might be looking out for, include: The current minister of state, petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylvia, from Bayelsa State, minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, from Rivers, and Senator Victor Ndoma Egba SAN, a former Senate Leader from Cross River state, all from the south-south. “For the southeast, names like the current Governor of Ebonyi, David Umahi, former Governor of Imo state, Chief Rochas Okorocha, the current minister of science and technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, among others.”