Prof. LeRoy Edozien, a Chieftain of All Progressives Congress in Delta State chapter has called on South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum to work against Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and any other politician who accepted to be running mate to any presidential candidate.
The call was made on Sunday in Asaba by Edozien, who is a brother to the Asagba of Asaba and title holder of Ubili Ka Nkwu Ahaba.
He said, “I am calling on the South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum to keep its word about working against any politician who allows himself to be nominated as running mate to any presidential candidate.
“If the Presidency is not zoned to the South, work against any person that accepted to be running mate.
“It will be recalled that the SMBLF made this statement of intention last year, following the declaration of the 17 Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria that the Presidency should, in the interests of equity and fairness, rotate to the South”
Prof. Edozien said it was regrettable that the Delta State governor broke ranks, betrayed the Southern bloc, and lobbied for the vice-presidential slot while his Southern colleagues were pushing for the presidency.
“It is deplorable that State resources were reportedly deployed in canvassing for this nomination.
“Such pursuit of self-interest at the cost of broader State and regional progress has been a hallmark of Senator Okowa’s governance of Delta State, the APC chieftain asserted.
He warned that the SMBLF risks compromising its own integrity should it fail to carry out its threat to work against any politician that becomes a running mate in a party that has not zoned the Presidency to the South, charging the Chief Edwin Clark-led Forum to put their words into action.