Abuja — Northern politicians championing that President Goodluck Jonathan should contest the 2011 presidential election said yesterday that Nigeria would be thrown into a "deep political crisis" should the proponents of zoning succeed in stopping the president from running.

Also in apparent reference to the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Congress (AC) only to return to the ruling party, Gana said: "They have left the party before and they can as well leave the party again. We can win elections without them. They left and campaigned against President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua."

Gana also said that a line of discussion towards resolving the zoning controversy has been opened with the Malam Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Elders Forum.

According to Gana, who read a statement on behalf of the G-20, "Since by divine providence, a son of the Niger Delta has become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, any attempt to use zoning to hinder the fulfilment of a perceived God-given opportunity to lead Nigeria would only lead the nation into deeper crisis. We must not allow other considerations to trivialise this threat to national security."

The media briefing was attended by the Vice-National Chairmen of PDP Senator Paul Wampana (North-east), Alhaji Usman Aiyietogo (North-central), Senator Isaiah Balat, Senator Isa Maina, Col. Bala Mande, Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Humphrey Abba, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Abba Gana, Prof. Sam Andi, Senator Illa Gada, former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, former National Organizing Secretary of PDP, Dahiru Umar Bauchi, among others.

The briefing was organised under the aegis of G-20 which includes the 19 Northern States and Abuja.

Speaking on their behalf, Gana further said: "In any case, most Northerners would recall that the people of the Niger Delta have always stood by the North when it mattered most. It is on record that they supported the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) to form the Federal Government during the First Republic. It is also on record that the cooperation they gave the NPN gave the party victory in 1979. At an even deeper level, when the unity of the Federal Republic was most threatened, the people of the Niger Delta stood for national unity."

Gana also said that it is an open secret that the Niger Delta is the treasure base of the federation as it produces over 90 per cent of Nigeria's foreign exchange, lamenting that in spite of this, the zone is yet to produce a President, explaining that by divine intervention, "God has made it possible to shift power to the zone wisdom counsels that we accept the will of God."

He also commended the Northern Governors Forum in their re-affirmation of the supremacy of the Nigerian constitution, which stipulates that every person has a right to contest the 2011 general election, including Jonathan.

The former minister of information who said that issue of zoning is a PDP affair added: "We accept the wisdom of regarding the matter of zoning as a purely PDP affair and we hereby join the governors to appeal to PDP leaders at all levels of the party, to facilitate the peaceful resolution of the his zoning controversy through democratic dialogue and consultation."

The group reminded Nigerians that the present controversy over zoning was a force majeure ("act of God"), which he said is beyond human control, stating that under the circumstances, "it is legitimate and proper for party members to review and reconsider existing agreements on zoning so as to find viable, just and fair solutions in the interest of peace, social harmony, stability and good governance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

He also said that the group has opened discussions with Ciroma group over how to peacefully resolve the zoning controversy.

According to Gana, "the former Minister of Finance wrote us and I was mandated by the G-20 to reply. I have replied. We have opened a line of discussion towards dialogue on this matter and soon, both groups would be meeting."