Leaders in the southern and central regions of the country under the auspices of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) have faulted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for electing a northern presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.

They described the outcome of the exercise as “an affront” to the people of the South and asked politicians in the region to reject any nomination for the office of the Vice President.

In a communique jointly signed on Sunday by leaders of the groups that made up the forum, they specifically faulted the emergence of former Vice President ATIKU ABUBAKAR as the main opposition party’s flagbearer.

The SMBLF, however, urged presidential hopefuls in the South to shun the attitude of individualism and self-confidence, and work collectively to achieve the shared objective of producing President MUHAMMADU BUHARI’S successor in the forthcoming elections.

During the PDP presidential primary held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Saturday, ATIKU ABUBAKAR polled 371 votes to defeat the Rivers State Governor, NYESOM WIKE, who got 237 votes; a former President of the Senate, BUKOLA SARAKI, 70 votes; the Akwa Ibom State Governor, EMMANUEL UDOM, 38 votes; the Bauchi State Governor, BALA MOHAMMED, 20 votes; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ANYIM PIUS ANYIM, 14 votes and an ex-President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, SAM OHUABUNWA, one vote.