 The coalition of Northern groups, CNG has said the most urgent task before its members at the moment was a search for detribalized politicians who are free from moral encumbrances such around the elective or run for elective offices in order to unite the people and secure the nation. The organization also said that nobody could stop the North from fielding and backing candidates for the presidency. They said some governors in the People's Democratic Party cannot stop the fielding of North and political candidates for the presidential elections in the party because of the resolve of the members of the group to resist such an attempt. Now joining us right now on Plus Politics is the director of Strategic Communications Coalition of Northern groups, Samayla Musa. Good evening to you, Samayla Musa. Thanks for joining us. Yes, thank you. Good evening. Well, the CNG has stayed at this position. Just want to run us through why your group is insisting that Northern candidates must be allowed to participate, especially your particular about the People's Democratic Party. Okay, yeah. That's very important at this particular juncture that we are, especially having noted that some particular persons are trying to overheat the polity either by some a big advantage or some, you know, uncalled for utterances that shouldn't be heard from, you know, perceived leaders, you know, so that is actually a source of concern to us at the CNG because we felt it shouldn't be. You see, let me quickly lay this background that politics is a game of negotiations. So when people who ought to stick to the rules of the game, I'm talking about the politicians actually, you know, leaving a politicking and going into issuing threats or making some utterances that are unwanted or unwarranted at this particular time, you begin to feel like maybe we're having some militants, you know, or some terrorists in the guise of politicians, you know. So that actually is the source of concern to us and that's why at this particular time we're actually coming out to be quite very vocal about our position and our stand. Now, having said that, while the PDP is of particular interest at this time is because we noted that there's a particular scheme, there's this grand scheme going on within the players, especially those players from the southern part of the country to shut the door against politicians. And we felt there's a need to actually remind them that out of the 16 year of PDP rule in this country, 14 of those 16 years actually came from the south. You know, so it's very important to remind some of our southern governors or politicians that it's only two years that the North actually enjoyed the presidency under this particular party. But Sumaila Musa, you have the conversations around zoning ahead of the 2023 presidential elections all over. You know, you're talking about different political parties and different elective positions. Why the particular focus on the People's Democratic Party and why the particular focus on the presidential election? You see, there's no how you want to talk about zoning without talking about PDP because that was actually their brainchild at the initial, you know, I mean, that's it's something they actually brought, even though they said, oh, it wasn't principal, it was not or something that is actually in the constitution of Nigeria as it is, you know, but they started it. And so when in 2015 or in 2011, some elements who are coming out today to say, why should you not talk about zoning? Where the same people who jettisoned the zoning arrangement in 2011 and say, no, or the then president will have to contest because as far as they are concerned, the zoning does not really hold water. And then they did the same thing. And I think it's very important to also remind you that in 2015, is this same zoning issue that actually sank or sank, almost sank the PDP at the time because, you know, some persons felt we should have stick to this zoning arrangement, but the same Southern I say, no, actually. So and that was how you saw some governors actually pull out of the party because they felt no, the North has actually been so changed. And so the same people are the ones who are actually championing the zoning arrangement. Now you mentioned that across different political parties. Well, you see the APC hasn't actually come out to tell you whether it's actually zoning or not zoning. You know, so that's why we actually cannot mention. And, you know, when you talk about you, there's no how you're also going to talk about other parties without mentioning the ruling party at this particular time. And the ruling party hasn't actually come out to say this is where it is. I mean, swinging it too. So we're going to just, you know, give them the benefit of that to say, well, we believe they're going to play by the rules to say, well, let's be fair to all. I mean, but it's very important to sound this at this particular juncture again to say that, look, Nigeria is a total mess as we speak right now. There is people are coming together to, you know, put hands together. I mean, put hands, all hands are there to see how we can salvage what is left of this country. It is a time where we should be talking about the quality of individuals who are coming out and not particularly about where these individuals are coming out. Okay. Sumala Musa, yes. Sumala Musa, you did talk about the fact that the People's Democratic Party had ruled for 16 years from 1999 to 2015. And out of those 16 years, the North and part of the country held sway for only two out of the 16 years and as far as the presidency is concerned. So in other words, you are looking for a fair and just, you know, sort of arrangement to be, to at least carry everybody along. I believe that's what you're saying, that, you know, if the PDP has a party, has people from all sides of the country, they should be carried along. So it's not just one part which is the South that should be handling or occupying power. I believe that's what you're saying. Yeah, exactly the point. The point actually is like I was making this point to say that Nigeria is actually in a mess right now. Nigeria is in a doldrum that we need capable hands. But it's also important to say this that whenever the woman who's got the credentials to pull Nigeria out of this doldrum is coming from, might not matter in the long run. But when the umpires or the people who are seen or perceived to be the leaders of the party begin to go around with some brigade, some campaign of colony against a particular section or trying to sort, I mean, shut the door against a particular section of the country, especially the North at this particular time is not something we're going to sit back and watch. We're not going to allow that to happen. Okay. Okay. So in the interest of fairness, I mean, anyone who hears that oh, in a party like the People's Democratic Party, for the 16 years that you had the position occupied the presidency, that the North has produced a president for only two out of those 16 years, that would be really sad for anyone to hear. So I believe you're speaking in the interest of federal character and the interest of equity, you know, injustice for all parts of the country. And you've agreed that you're doing that. Let's look at this in the context of Nigeria as a whole. The reason why the People's Democratic Party is elected to go with Olucia, Gov, and Barsangio, when Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, or with a Southern candidate or a Southwestern candidate, are not far-fetched. You're aware of this, Sumaila Musa. So it will be a bit of changing the narrative or twisting the narrative. The narrative some might argue if you say that oh, the North has only occupied for two years because this is, the larger picture is Nigeria. The only reason why the PDP desired to zone this to the South was because Nigeria was coming out of years of military rule and the heads of states were all from the North. We can look at after Shagari will have who? North. You had Muhammad Buhari North. You had Ibrahim Babangida North. You had Saniya Bachchan North and you had Abdul Salami Abu Bakar North. This is five. You know, over two decades, you move from there and of course you don't realize. Let me correct you right there. Let me correct you. And then you've also left out Muhammad Buhari's eight years. Let me correct you right there. You see, if you want us to go the route of counting the years of the military, those are barbaric years. Those are years we don't even want anybody to remind us. We're actually, you know, leaving all that behind us. Nobody within the military rank would tell you that they actually came together, sat down and consulted with anybody before or staged in any coup. These are people who came to power using all manner of route, all manner of force, you know. So really. There was a reason why the People's Democratic Party said, you know what, let's allow someone from the Southern part of the country to produce the president. Okay. Let me tell you the reason why that happened at the time. The reason why it happened at the time was that the man who was perceived to be the winner or the winner of the June 12th in 1993 as it were is M.K. Abiola. So, you know, in the interest of what Nigeria to say, okay, look, this man contested. Yeah, it was a military president who oversaw the election and the election was adjudged to be free and fair. You know, it's only fair if or some person, some military also came on a grab power, you know, through the back door again and denied him that mandates, you know, and now that the man is gone, what can we do to salvage what is left of this country in terms of unity is to say, okay, let's let's allow somebody from that particular region to occupy their seat. And I believe quite a lot of southwestern Nigerian folks who are perceived to have the credentials at the time were actually contacted about three or four of them. I'm aware, what I'm showing you, was contacted. I'm aware, Richard, SCN, you know, was also contacted before everybody came to Obasajo. So we're just going to do it at the same time. We're just shopping for someone who's got the credentials, someone who is upright, you know, someone who can actually stabilize the country until, you know, the battle fought on Obasajo at the time. So really, you will see how this whole thing played out. And immediately after that, the PDP decided to say, well, they want to stick to this some form of zoning arrangements. And I'm telling you, the same people from southern Nigeria, you know, felt no. Because power was with them at the time. It felt it's high time we're just seeing all this arrangement. It's not really working. It's not going to take us anywhere. It's about competence. It's about who can rule Nigeria. I mean, who can, you know, drive Nigeria to the promised land and do it better and all of that. It came up with all manner of, you know, of theories and stuff. So the same people today are the same. Who are now advocating to say, no, we have to go back. We have to revisit that zoning arrangement. And we're saying in the spirit of fairness, even if you want to say zoning, you have held power for 14 out of 16 years of this your party. So it's just fair enough for you to say, okay, let's give this opportunity to some of our northern folks. But we're not even saying do that. We're just saying, leave it open. Whoever's got the credentials, allow Nigerians to decide at this particular time. Perhaps if you feel, you know, it's high time we're just zoning. No problem. That's fine. But if you, you know, you cannot, you know, you cannot exclude the fact that Mohammed Buhari is from the northern part of the country and he has been president for the last eight years. You cannot exclude the fact that both leading parties in Nigeria, in the last presidential election, they had northern candidates. So if you look at eight years of a northern candidate, if you want to look at fairness, would it be fair to have the PDP Electan and Tico Abu Bakar or Electan Aminu, or Electan Bala Mohamed to come be there for 16 years again? Look, what we are ever advocating for at this particular time is to say, we agree with you. It's just in 2011. You also preach it in 2015 that there's no point going by zoning arrangement. And we're saying, fine. We want to stick to it. Now, if you want to go the route of saying, oh, Buhari is from the north. Are you saying that PDP and the APC is one party? No, I'm saying that Nigeria presidency is one. It is one, but it has to come under a platform of the party. You understand? So the one party shouldn't decide for the other party. That's the reality on ground. And the APC hasn't come out to say they want to go by the zoning arrangement. So I don't want to drag the APC into it because we don't know what they want to do yet. Until that time, we also going to be very vocal. We're going to come out quite very vocal about whatever it is that we feel is actually anti-north. But for now, the PDP is the president of the APC. So I don't want to go by some few elements actually within the party who want to go the militancy way to say no. Because you see other states what you're talking about can actually be judged out. Can actually be dialogue. Go the way of persuasions. You understand? When the active players decide to say, well, between us, we agree that we are going to start using gota language to paint. So talking about gota language. Talking about gota language. Your group also in that statement talked about you. You talk about someone who's been brashing, engaging in brigand age, and now you've talked about gota language. And you mentioned your governor from the south in that statement from your group. So which governor is this you're referring to? It's Wiki. You and I know the way he's been going about this thing. We're making governance in Nigeria to look like you have to be a garage boy before you can emerge as anything in Nigeria. We're beginning to make people like Governor Wiki to look like you have to be a tout before you can emerge to anything in Nigeria. I'm even ashamed to let my own children watch people like that on TV, evaporating the way he was doing. You know, everyone has been going in a very civic manner the way both APC and PDP between them. Everybody's actually been carrying out their engagements, consultations in a very civic manner. Respectfully, you understand, these are people who are men of honor because these are leaders of the country. And then one of them chose and Governor Wiki is not the only one from the south. And you and I will agree with me today that in Nigeria there's nobody who presents himself like he is doing. Okay. So you're referring to Wiki and I'm happy you're open about it and honest about it. He, the governor of the state years of Wiki had called on the People's Erocratic Party some days ago to treat the south-south fairly. And he said that the south-south is always called the pillar of the PDP. He said the pillar. But it's not only when the party needs help, financial help or support or stability, that they should turn to the south-south. That they should also remember to be fair to the south-south or the southern part of the country when it comes to sharing of offices. You know, and of course it's documented the role that states like River State have played, you know, led by SOM Wiki. For the PDP, you know, in a time in Nigeria where the party does not control the leading states in the country that have money, you're talking about legal state, river state and counter state. It is the states controlled by the PDP in the south-south that have funded, you know, their counterparts, you know, giving donations and grants and all that. So what do you say to that very quickly? You see, I'm not a member of their party. What we're just saying is make sure you create a level playing ground for everyone to participate. You can bring those assertions. I don't know what went down, I mean, between them as a party, they can decide to say well, some people, of course, in any country or in any client, some persons will have to fund the party, especially when you're in opposition, you know, and if River State happens to be one of the richest in the country, I mean, it has its own volition for him to want to fund the party. So really, it has its own discretion to do that. But that is not enough for him to begin to make the client to look like you have to be it out before you can try. Those are strong words from you. Those are strong words for you, Subala Musa. He might argue that it was a nothing group that bought his presidential nomination for him. But anyway, we'll talk about that some other day. Subala Musa is the Strategic Communications Director of the Coalition of Northern Groups who are calling on the PDP to open a presidential aspirations or role or rather position and contest to appeal from all parts of the country, including the North. Subala, thank you very much for your time.