Former Senate leader and lawmaker representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has kicked against moves by some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, to push for the zoning of presidency to the North.
He said such a move would be akin to demanding a third term for the region.
Instead, he said the APC should zone the ticket to the south and allow its three geopolitical zones to slug it out during the party’s presidential primary.
Ndume, who heads the Senate committee on Army, spoke at the weekend when he addressed members of the Correspondence Chapel in Abuja on the state of insecurity, economy, education and politics in Nigeria.
He opposed the position of the government not to hire mercenaries to prosecute the war against terrorists.
He said former President Goodluck Jonathan caved in to pressure during his administration and got mercenaries to assist battle Boko Haram saying many territories hitherto overrun by the terrorist group were recovered.
He said since President Muhammadu Buhari was already serving out his second term, the south must be given a chance to aspire for the position.
He revealed that the APC agreed in principle during its formation, that the north would be allowed to produce a president in 2015, after which it would be zoned to the south.