Senator Shehu Sani has said the 2023 presidency may elude the South if the South-East and South-West clamouring for it are not united.
Sani said the two zones must unite and decide on one candidate for the election.
The Peoples Redemption Party chief, who represented Kaduna Central in the Senate from 2015 to 2019, spoke in Abuja on Saturday at an interactive session organised by the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council.
Sani said the ruling class was unyielding to the idea of rotational presidency and that it would take only a united South to win the 2023 presidential poll.
He said, “It will be unfair for other sections of the country if one section uses its topographical or demographic advantage to hold onto power, knowing full well that it was not the topography or demographic advantage that delivered them power.
“Rotation of power is what I prescribe and stand for, whether that power goes to the South-East or South-West, it is dependent on the people of the South.
“What I will say is that there is a possibility of producing a northern as President in 2023 if the South-East and the South-West remain divided in their resolve on the governance of the country.
“It is this division that will be exploited by those who are proposing the issue of competence.”
Sani said the direction of power did not depend on individuals’ views but that it would be decided by the political blocs contending for the presidency in 2023.
He added, “If power moves to the South-East, it will be the final defeat of secessionists and also a formal end to the Nigerian civil war.”
The former All Progressives Congress chief said he would continue to advocate that those in power should respect the principles of rotational power.
He warned that if the South-East and the South-West failed to heed his warning, they would lose out on the 2023 presidency.
Sani said, “Also, if one major party supports the rotation of power and another refuses to support, there will still be trouble.
“So, realising the respect for rotation of power will be dependent on three factors.
“There will be the common resolve of the people of the South that power should move to the South.
“Secondly, the common resolve of the South-East and South-West that this is where it will go to and the third is that the major party must accept this as a reality.’
“These three things are inevitable and one of them that is not considered will still end up with a northern presidency in 2023.”
He said his proposal was for peace and unity in the country.