The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has warned political parties delegates against voting for Northern leaders.
The SMBLF issued the warning specifically to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The forum said it insisted on zoning and rotation of the Presidency as fundamental to the existence of Nigeria, while advising party delegates to reject presidential aspirants or candidates from the north, and only vote for those from the south in the coming primaries.
It also commended four northern governors who had shown support for power rotation and southern presidency for 2023, asking other northern governors and leaders to join in the actualisation.
This was contained in a statement by the group in Lagos State, which was signed by Chief (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader, Afenifere, Dr Pogu Bitrus, President-General, Middle Belt Forum, Prof George Obiozor, President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, National Chairman, PANDEF.
The SMBLF urged all politicians and professionals from the South not to accept, on any account, the position of Vice President, as that would amount to a shameful committal of present and future generations of southern Nigeria to senseless political vassalage.
It reiterated its stance on the principle of zoning and power rotation between the North and the South, as the basis on which the Nigerian federation had, since Independence, been premised.
The leaders of the socio-political organisations condemn, in the st