North East Stakeholders Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has given reasons why the zone should produce the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2023 election.
Reacting to the suggestion by the Tinubu Support Organisation that Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor, be picked as Tinubu’s running mate, the North East Stakeholders Forum said the zone is more deserving of the position going by its sacrifices for the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019.
The Forum’s position was made public by its chairman, Haruna Sardauna.
He said, “The North East should be given the slot, considering the sacrifices the region has made for the party in the 2015 and 2019 general elections. North-East APC Youth Stakeholders Forum on behalf of our region wants the party and President Muhammadu Buhari to zone the VP slot to our region unconditionally.
“For President Muhammadu Buhari’s election as Nigeria’s president in 2015 and 2019, the area (North-East) donated more than 70 per cent of their votes in both elections. In our view, it’s time for the North-East to be recognized not only for their role in ousting a sitting President but also for supporting Buhari and the APC’s progressive principles.
“It’s not wrong to say this is our time, and it’s not right to deny this opportunity to our region, morally. Choosing a vice president from a different region would be political suicide because of the significant amount of votes from the region, especially when Atiku emerged as the PDP’s flagbearer.
“It is on the basis of the reality that a son of the region must serve as Vice President in order to secure our region’s bloc votes, we offer this recommendation.
“It is our hope that our dear President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Working Committee of our great party will take these concerns seriously and do the essential for the progress and success of our party and country.
