Senator Adamu explains why 2023 presidency shouldn't be zoned to southeast

A former governor of Nasarawa State and senator representing Nasarawa West in the upper legislative chamber, Abdullahi Adamu, says even though the Igbos haven't produced a President since Nigeria's return to civilian governance in 1999, they shouldn't expect the 2023 presidency to be handed to them on a platter.

According to the senator who is a member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), zoning or rotation of the nation's presidency, is not in the constitution.

“Nowhere in the Nigerian constitution does it say we should zone any public office. There is federal character, but not that parties must zone positions for presidency during election,” Adamu said during a press briefing in Abuja.

“Yes, somebody is saying the east has not had a president. I agree and I sympathise. But the constitution says you can only become president through the ballot box.

“We have been saying it during elections that every vote must count. So, why do you want to zone?

“Let us just go by merit. Let every party find a way of selling itself in a manner that will garner the kind of votes that will win the election. It is as simple as that.

“Do we have anything like that in the American constitution? Are we more democratic than the Americans?

"It is democracy. Why do you want to change it? Wishful thinking only. How do you zone it?," he added.

Certain politicians from the north have expressed similar sentiments ahead of the 2023 general election.