Former President Olusegun Obasanjo appears to have dumped the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as he argued that the next Nigerian president after the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari must be a southerner.

Since Buhari is from the north, Obasanjo held that he should be succeeded by a candidate from the south.

Recall that Atiku, who was Obasanjo’s deputy from 1999 to 2007, is the leading northern candidate in the 2023 race.

Obasanjo spoke when he hosted the leaders of the Mzough U Tiv (MUT) from Benue State in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital over the weekend.

According to a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo said he is in support of rotational presidency, saying power must return to the south in 2023.

He charged Middle Belt leaders to keep advocating for rotational presidency for the country, urging Nigerians not to vote based on emotions that could destroy the nation.

Earlier in his words, the Tiv leader, Iorbee Ihagh, had requested Obasanjo to support a power shift from north to south.

Ihagh said the Mzough u Tiv and the Middle Belt Forum had resolved to support the power shift for fairness, justice and true federalism.

He expressed hope that the Middle Belt would produce the president in 2031.