The decision of the Northern States Governors Forum to oppose the call by its Southern counterpart that the Presidency should move to the South in 2023 has been criticised by groups comprising the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Afenifere.

Stakeholders in the south said the northern governors’ position was against the unity of the country.

But the northern governors, who came up with this position stated at their meeting in Kaduna, said the call by the Southern Governors’ Forum was against the constitution of the country.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, described the position of the northern governors as unfortunate

It said the North benefited from the Nigerian union more than it contributed to it.

PANDEF, on its part, described northern governors’ opposition for power shift to the South as most ridiculous, cowardly and irresponsible.

National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, said the attitude of the northern governors to the zoning of the Presidency to the south was insensitive.

In its reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, said fairness and equity demand that Presidency should come to the South in 2023, adding the group was surprised at the position of the governors, saying some northern governors had said before that power should come to the South in 2023.