The umbrella body of all the youth groups in the South East, South-South, South West and Middle Belt regions under the aegis of Coalition of Southern and Middle Belt Youth Leaders Assembly, COSMBYLA, have called on Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo to jettison his Presidential ambition and support a South East Presidential aspirant.
The group says this will be in the spirit of fairness, equity and fair play.
The group while noting that it is the fundamental right of VP Osinbajo to seek election for office of the President, it insists that the current political calculation in the country supports a South Easterner to produce the president in 2023, adding that it is the only geopolitical zone in the south yet to produce the president.
In a statement signed by the President-General, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) Hon. Goodluck Egwu Ibem, COSMBYLA insists the concept of equity and justice will eliminate bitterness, bad blood and suspicion.
The statement partly reads, “Though Vice President Osinbajo has the Constitutional right to contest the position of the office of the President as a bonafide citizen of Nigeria, but the current situation and political calculation favours the South East zone to produce the President of Nigeria having been the only zone in the Southern part of the country that has not produced a Nigerian President.
“The concept of equity and zoning is to foster unity and eliminate all forms of bitterness and bad-blood among Nigerians. Zoning the presidential ticket by the APC , PDP and other parties to the South East remains the only way to restore peace and unity in the country.
“Most of our youths from the South East zone have lost faith in the Nigerian project because of the way the people of South East are being treated by the federal government. The year 2023 is the ample time to restore the faith of our youths in the Nigerian project.
“Of the truth, it is morally wrong for Osinbajo to declare to contest for the office of the President now, when he is very aware of the political implications of his actions as a legal luminary.
“We call on him to drop his Presidential ambition and support a South East aspirant to emerge as an APC 2023 presidential candidate for the overall benefit and progress of the nation.
“Zoning the 2023 presidential ticket to the South East will bring our country out of the woods and a South Easterner as President will perform the magic needed for the survival of the country. Enough said.”