2015 presidency: Northern Christians should wait till 2019 –Gen Onoja

President of the alumni association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, General Lawrence Onoja, has said that the issue of a northern Christian candidate for the 2015 presidency should wait till 2019.
Onoja, a chieftain of the Congress for Equality and Change, while responding to reports which claim that former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma and others prefer a  Northern Christian candidate for 2015 presidency, said their position was good but it should wait till 2019.
Recall that the Congress for Equality and Change, is a group of people advocating for the protection of rights of all minorities in the country.
Speaking exclusively with Saturday Sun, Onoja noted that as president of the alumni association of NIPSS, the constitution of the association does not allow him to advise any government for a better society.
He however said as a leader of the Middle Belt region and as a chieftain of the Congress for Equality and Change, he is of the opinion that a northern Christian candidate should wait till 2019 when President Goodluck Jonathan would have completed his second term.
“I am saying that President Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed to do his second term before power rotates to anywhere else. That is my view. The reason is that the constitution allows him to do a second term. Therefore, any other group clamouring for power rotation should be patient until he does his second term and then, power can rotate to northern Christians.
“I support the call by Gowon and Danjuma, but the Northern Christians should wait till 2019. That is my view. I believe that Jonathan is doing well. Therefore, I am requesting Nigerians to be patient until Jonathan finishes his second term before power can rotate to anywhere.
“And I support Gowon and Danjuma, assuming it is true that those statements are coming from them as it is reflected in the media report of today (Friday). I support them, but I support a Northern Christian for 2019 after Jonathan must have finished his second term,” Onoja said.
Speaking further, the former military governor noted that Jonathan is the first minority to be democratically elected President, saying it would therefore be unfair for him not to be allowed to do his second term as allowed by the constitution.
“This is why I am supporting that he should be allowed to do his second term. And I agree with the northern elders calling for a Christian president, but I am urging them to be patient until Jonathan has completed his second tenure,” Onoja added.
On the issue of insecurity in the nation which is believed in some quarters that Jonathan has not handled properly, Onoja said the President has taken positive steps to ensure that areas where there are insecurity should return to normal.