The South-East Young Progressive Forum congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday’s Supreme Court victory over his arch-rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, while expressing hope that he will hand over to a south-easterner when his tenure ends in 2023.

The group in a statement by the National Convener, Comrade Otimkpu Paschal, said that with his victory at the Supreme Court, “the North, through President Buhari, will enjoy uninterrupted eighth years tenure till 2023, and definitely with fairness and equity, the President will surely hand over to a Nigeria from Southeastern part of the country.”

“It is our prayer as members of APC that Mr. President will hand over to a Nigerian from Igbo stock as the only Southern zone yet to take a shot at the Presidency since 1999.

“We urge our leaders mostly those in APC from South-East to re-strategise for 2023. Our Leaders should start now to consult, interact and negotiate with other parts of Nigeria on why they should support South East this time. We maintained that power is not given, power is taken. Igbos should give President Buhari all the necessary support to succeed for Nigeria belongs to us all,” the statement said.

The group advised Atiku and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to accept the Supreme Court verdict in good faith and join hands with the President to move Nigeria forward.

“This is not time for celebration, because nobody won. We are all winners in this project,” said the group while describing the Supreme Court judgment as a clear testimony that Nigerians voted for President Buhari.