Friday, June 30, 2006
By Joe Oroye

He said there was “a gentleman’s agreement” dating back to 2003 that power should shift to the north in 2007.

Governor Igbinedion was speaking at the presidential villa while answering reporters questions after having audience with President Obasanjo. He did not disclose his mission.
He noted that at present, the prospect for the South-South to produce the next president looks “very shaky”.

It was his belief, he said, that the people in the zone and their aspirants should exercise patience and “wait for our turn.”
“Well, if you remember the last time I spoke to you and if you have been following my anticident, I belief the South-South is not in contention for the presidency of the country as of now,” he added.

On the strident voices still in favour of power shift to the South-South come 2007, he said as far as he is concerned, the South-South should forget it for now.

The South-South People Assembly (SSPA), pointed out in a meeting recently that it is committed to the actualisation of a president from the geo-political region and vowed not to backtract from the stand.

Increased television and radio jingles supporting the position of the SSPA has been sponsored of late, with chieftains of the South-South reaching out to the South-East and Middle-Belt leaders for consultations.

There has been strident calls by Northern leaders for powershift to the North in 2007 on the grounds of a “gentleman” agreement reached in 1999 when the PDP accepted to zone power to the South.

Former Minister in the Second Republic, Dr. Umaru Dikko, told Daily Trust there was no negotiating the shift of power to North, noting that it was only fair that the South, after “holding on to power for eight years, the North should also have it back.”