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Ahead of the 2019 presidential election, the southern Nigerian Forum (SNF) and the Middle Belt (MB), have resolved that the Middle Belt should produce the President, while the Vice President should come from the South-East.
This formed part of the decision taken by the group at meeting held in Makurdi, Benue State.
At the meeting, they called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to address issues of underage voters before the elections.
A communique issued after the meeting was signed by Rev. Okechukwu Obioha Country (Nigeria) Administrator, Southern Nigeria Forum, and Hon. Steve Dawart, Leader, Middle Belt.
It read in part, “The southern Nigerian Forum (SNF) and the Middle Belt (MB) today 26th February, 2018 held a meeting to further map out strategies for the sensitization of its people towards full participation in the 2019 general elections and to take a stand as regards the choice of candidates that will represent aspiration of Nigerians and to review the security situation in the country.
“The SNF/MB also decided to use the occasion to strengthen the growing socio- political bonds between the people of the South-East, South-South, South-West and Middle-Belt in view of the common experiences of our people in Nigeria.
“At the end of the successful deliberations, the meeting resolved as follows:
“That in order to ensure equity, justice, fairness, peace and stability of Nigeria, the Middle Belt being part of Northern Nigeria should produce the next president come 2019, while the South East should produce the vice president.
“That the shameful revelation of under aged voters in the North West zone particularly of the recent Local Government election in Kano State, should be addressed by INEC before the 2019 general elections.
“The SNF/MB strongly call on INEC to revisit the voters register in the North West zone as a matter of urgent importance before the 2019 elections.”
It reiterated call by well-meaning Nigerians “for INEC to make available enough functional data capturing machines to the registration centers to take care of the surge by Nigerian electorates to collect their permanent voters card (PVC).”
“We are also calling on the Federal Government to maintain adequate security in all the registration centers so that INEC will confidently go and capture citizens who wish to exercise their civic rights.
“We commiserate with the people of the Middle Belt particularly the Governor of Benue State His Excellency Samuel Ortom over the recent heinous killings by armed Fulani herdsmen.
“We strongly condemn the recent abduction of Dapchi school girls in Yobe State, despite the promise of the Government to return the remaining Chibok girls. We therefore call on the Federal Government to ensure the return of the Dapchi school girls and the remaining Chibok girls.
“The SNF/MB still calls on the Federal Government to adopt by any means possible the 2014 National Conference which is the closest perfect document on restructuring”, the group further stated.
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