We’ll only support Party that fields candidate from South in 2023, Southern, Middle Belt leaders vow 

The Forum attacked those they described as “Anti- Zoning Propagonists”, noting that anyone who is opposing the zoning of presidency to the South in 2023 is an enemy of the country.

In a statement on Thursday, the  Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF),  comprising Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum and Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF described those persons as unpatriotic and parochial

They stressed that such people do not only hate the country but barefacedly fanning the embers of dissent and disunity, capable of exacerbating crisis in the country.

The leaders have reiterated their stand that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and other political parties ahead of 2023 Presidential election should zone their Presidential tickets to the South and vowed  that any political party that refuses to adhere to the existing zoning and rotation protocol should not count on their support.

According to them, the choice of the South to produce the successor of President Muhammadu Buhari became imperative because  the northern part of the country would have fully enjoyed the Office of the Presidency of the country for the full statutory period of 8 years by 2023.

The statement was signed by South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark as the Chairman of the groups and leader of PANDEF; Chief Ayo Adebanjo for Afenifere as the leader; Professor George Obiozor for Ohanaeze Ndigbo as the President- General  and Dr. Pogu Bitrus for Middle Belt Forum as the National President.