The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has pushed for both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone their presidential tickets to the South ahead of the 2023 election.
The group also canvassed for a new constitution and the restructuring of the country.
SMBLF, in the communique issued at the end of its expanded meeting in Abuja, enjoined political stakeholders from the South not to be lured into the “unpatriotic step” of accepting positions, such as national chairman of a party and Vice President.
It said they should rather join forces to demand and ensure that the Presidency moves to the South in 2023.
On security, MBLF called on the government to declare “a national emergency on security and urgently come up with proactive strategies to restore peace and security to all parts of the country”.
“If the security situation is not dealt with and banditry stopped or reduced to the barest minimum, it would not be feasible to have proper elections in 2023,” the Forum said
The leaders condemned the government’s stance towards the resolutions of the Southern governors to ban open grazing and on restructuring.
At the meeting were leaders of Afenifere Ayo Adebanjo; President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Prof. George Obiozor; Air Commodore Dan Sulieman, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Bitrus Pogu, Godknows Igali, among others.
