The coalition of Northern Nigeria Ethnic Youth Leaders (CONNEYL) has taken a swipe at a statement credited to Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) where it threatened to identify and deal with any northerner promoting a southern presidential candidate under the guise of zoning saying the threat was born out of ignorance and as such empty and of no effect.
The group also argued that zoning was a tenant of democracy that has defined the nation’s democratic journey insisting that any attempt to jettison it at this point in time will be counterproductive.
CONNEYL in a statement jointly signed by its national coordinator, Amb Yusuf Yahuza insisted that the north has been a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement in the Nigeria political sphere and some few individuals masquerading as leaders of the zone must desist from attempt to create division between north and south.
“Our attention has been drawn to media report credited to a group by the name Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) where it threatened to deal with any northern politician who supports a southern presidential candidate. We wish to state categorically that the group represent the sentiments of its paymasters and not of the north.
“While we agree that irrespective of zoning arrangement of any political party, any eligible Nigeria from any part of the country has right to vie for presidency or any elective position as has always been the practice. However, for any group to rise up to blackmail any one for supporting a candidate of their choice is undemocratic, unpatriotic and unspeakable and must be condemned by all men of goodwill.
“Let it be put on record that all the Presidents the northern region has produced became possible by zoning which this group attempts to demonize. No region in this country can on its own produce a president without reasonable inputs of other regions even as stipulated in the nation’s constitution”, the statement stressed.
The group further urged Nigerians from all strata irrespective of region, religion to work for the common unity of the nation maintaining that the strength and beauty of Nigeria was in her number and diversity.