APC Presidential Primaries: YPF Commends Northern Governors For Ceding Power To South

By Ayobami Agboola

A socio-cultural group, Yoruba Progressive Forum (YPF), has commended the decision of the Northern Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cede the presidential ticket to the southern part of Nigeria.

The northern governors elected on the platform of APC, have insisted that they back southerner to emerge as the presidential candidate of the ruling party in the 2023 general election.

Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong , started this on Monday while briefing state House Correspondents in Abuja.

The Governors , 13 of them , made their position known following their meeting with the President Muhammad Buhari at the presidential villa in the federal capital territory (FCT)

Reacting to the decision of the southern governors , the National Coordinator of the Yoruba Progressive Forum (YPF), Alhaji Olalekan Lateef popularly known as Asiri Ede hailed the decision of the Northern APC governors to support power shift to the southern part Nigeria in 2023.

Lateef while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, on Tuesday, some minutes before the commencement of accreditation describes it has a step in the right direction to enthrone equity and fairness in the country.

He noted that they received the news of the decision of the southern governors with joy and happiness saying it shows Nigeria still remains one regardless of ethnic or religious differences.

He said: “We received with great joy the news of the resolution of the 13 APC Governors from the Northern Region to zone its Presidential candidate to Southern Region in line with the agreement of the founding fathers of the party.

“As a matter of fact , we have been working around the clock preaching the unity and love among the people of the country and with this development there is no doubt about the fact that Nigeria still remains one. We see the present zoning decision as a step in the right direction.

“We are greatly indebted to President Muhammadu Buhari, who not only created enabling environment for the resolution of this issue but also went ahead to endorse the resolution of the Northern Governors position in the overall interest of Unity, peaceful and mutual trust and progress of our Nation.

“We acknowledge this courageous stance for equity and moral rectitude. We applaud the zeal and determination of all the stakeholders to engage realistically and honestly.

“By this gesture, we are convinced that the ascendant march towards stability, progress and prosperity is not truncated by selfish or parochial interests.

Lateef recalled how he and members of his group had visited almost every nooks and crannies of the southern states on the need to let the power shift to Yoruba.