A support group in All Progressives Congress (APC), Northern Progressive Agenda (NPA), has called on the ruling party and President Muhammadu Buhari, to reciprocate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s past gestures by supporting him to be the party’s presidential candidate in 2023.
The group also called on northern political elites, especially the Governors, lawmakers and delegates to the June 6 presidential primary to ensure that power does not only shift to the south but Tinubu is elected.
Spokesperson for the group, Mr. Dominic Alancha, said 2023 should be a pay back time to appreciate the good gestures and sacrifices of Timubu to northern leaders.
Addressing reporters in Abuja on Friday, Alancha listed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and President Muhammadu Buhari among others as northern political leaders that have benefited from political structures and support of Tinubu in the past.
Justifying the call for power shift to the south, NPA said: “While the southern region boasts of many qualified and competent individuals fit for the office of the President, we are calling on the party to particularly narrow its search to the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose many contributions and sacrifices exemplified in the opportunities given to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Nuhu, President Muhammadu Buhari and many more has benefited the north more than it has benefited his own region of the south and south west in particular.
“We believe that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not just the best among the contending forces from the southern region, he is the only man with the requisite political experience, extensive network and the national appeal to win election for a political party like the All Progressives Congress, especially considering that Atiku, whom though is not a match for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also a political heavyweight that has stayed long enough in the political arena to understand the game far better than any of the other contestants aside Bola Tinubu.
“We must reiterate the fact that what the north needs at this time is not political power. If we have had it for many years without commensurate benefit to the average northerner, then it is only proper to explore another option.
“The north needs an opportunity to improve on its economy, security, healthcare, education, industrial development and many more, so that it can compete favourably with the south and even rank better, especially considering the enormous advantage it has over the other.
“We want to see a north where its huge population will be for economic advantage and not just for political purposes. We want to see a north where the vast landmass will be turned into agriculture fields that will birth industries and create jobs for the teeming youths. We want to see a north where students will not have to be given lower cut off mark before they can be admitted into schools. We want to see a north that works and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a trusted ally that can make this happen.”
