A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Prof. Kingsley Moghalu has said he is disappointed by the remarks of presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar that northerners need a President who hails from the region.

Moghalu, who faulted Atiku’s speech, urged candidates for the 2023 presidential election to avoid ethnic or other divisive sentimental appeals.

In the now-viral video seen by The Lawyer, Atiku, who hails from Adamawa in the north-east, told his audience which included a significant percentage of persons of Hausa and Fulani extraction, that they don’t need an Igbo or Yoruba as president but “someone from the north”.

Reacting on his verified Twitter page, he said: “I was very disappointed to view the video clip of H.E. Atiku Abubakar @atiku, a former Vice-President of Nigeria, telling an audience in Kaduna that what the North needs is a northerner to be President, and not a Yoruba or Igbo candidate

“I have a lot of respect for Atiku who, despite his flaws (which all the other leading contenders also have) ,I have always regarded as a truly cosmopolitan politician in our country. His reference to his “building bridges” across the country does not negate his clear message

“That message was a direct appeal to divisive ethnic sentiment and a denigration of the largest ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria. I think he should withdraw the statement and apologize to Nigerians for it.

“All candidates in the 2023 presidential election must avoid ethnic or other divisive sentimental appeals.”