2023: Tambuwal Gives Condition That Can Make A Southerner Become Nigeria’s Next President

The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal says it’s not impossible for a southerner to become the next president of Nigeria in 2023.

The submission comes amidst divided opinions about which region should produce the nation’s next president after Muhammadu Buhari.

Based on the controversial issue of zoning, a section of political stakeholders believe the 2023 presidency should go to the south while another group believes the north should still retain the presidency as zoning is not constitutional.

However, when asked during a recent interview with Daily Trust about the possibility of a southern candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerging the next leader of the country should the party zone its ticket to the south, Tambuwal said it depends on the decision of political players and certain fundamental indices.

The Sokoto State Governor cautioned however that any political party that wants to win the 2023 election must do away with sentiments and strategize to present a candidate that can get the people’s vote regardless of the region.

He pointed out that the voting strength of every region in the country plays a critical role in determining election winners.

Responding to the question about a southern PDP presidential candidate for 2023, Tambuwal said: “It depends on certain fundamentals and indices. If it is the decision of political players, just as it was done in 1999, that the major political parties would field candidates from a particular region as was done in the case of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, then if Nigerians are having only two options from two regions, one of them would win. But if there is any political party that decides to go South and other ones North, the numbers will count. And we all know the voting strength of every bloc in this country. So it is up to political parties that are really interested in winning election not to be guided by certain primordial considerations or sentiments to strategize and throw up a candidate that can win election for that political party. It is a matter of strategy.”