The North Central Progressive Group (NCGP) has called on political leaders from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to support presidential aspirants from the South East and North Central.
The group also urged presidential aspirants who would be sixty years and above by 2023 to steer clear of the presidential quest in the region.
The leaders, who addressed the media in Abuja, pegged the maximum age at 60 saying many Nigerians who held political power in the past were youths.
Benjamin Sanni, Felix Tolorunju and Aisha Uju Okoye addressed reporters in Abuja, emphasising the region and the South East have what it takes to govern Nigeria among her youthful population.
They said that while the two regions are still asking all political parties and zones to cede the 2023 presidency to them, any aspirants older than 60 at the time of the quest should forget about the presidency.
Spokesman Sani said the legitimate agitation was anchored on the need for the region to have a sense of belonging than being marginalised from the presidency.
To buttress his point, a youth from the region, who flanked the spokesman at the press briefing in Utako, Abuja said the region was prepared, and this can be seen from the performance of the immediate past President of the Senate Bukola Saraki.
He noted that it was the highest office ever occupied in a democracy by the North Central zone hence their quest for the Presidency for the region.
He further argued that the former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, are some of the brilliant minds that have come from the region.
However, in pegging the age for the presidency, he stated that any aspirant for the office of the President above 60 come 2023 should forget about contesting from the region because youth from the region abounds in intellect to lead Nigeria to greater heights.
‘When you talk about readiness, we in the North Central have intelligent People, we have been twice Senate President from the North-Central, we have delivered remarkable results,’ he said.
‘We are ready, the former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, is there, we have the likes of Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi State, so is Abubakar Saraki from Kwara.
‘We have credible people who can deliver Nigeria from chaos, whatever it is how it is. We are agitating for the Presidency to be zoned to North Central because our region is being marginalised.
‘North Central will take Nigeria to where the country has been praying to get to, no matter the age bracket, we are agitating that from sixty downward will deliver Nigeria.
‘People who held power started at their tender age. So anything above sixty, forget about the Presidency, that is all I can tell Nigerians.’
Former governor of Niger, Babangida Aliyu state will turn 66 by 2023 while the former President of the Senate, Abubakar Saraki will be 61 by the next round of the presidential election.
