THE Nigeria’s Southern Governors Forum has demanded that the President of Nigeria should come from the southern part of the country in 2023. In a communique during their last meeting in Lagos in July, the 17 governors recommended that the office of the president be made rotational constitutionally among the six-geopolitical zones in the country. Specifically, the governors, while reiterating their commitment and loyalty to one Nigeria, agreed that the region should produce Nigeria’s next president based on the principles of equity, and fairness.
IT is no longer news that their position has been greeted with controversies over the issue of power shift to the South at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in 2023. Funny enough, some jittery bigwigs in the north, with frills and thrills running through their spines, are now canvassing that the zoning option is alien to the 1999 Constitution as amended.
IN all honesty, the agitation of the governors is borne out of perceived marginalization of some sections of the common entity called Nigeria. What they have simply done is right looking at the history of power shift since 1999, when a northerner spends eight years, a southerner takes over the mantle.
SURPRISINGLY, the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has strongly aligned with the calls for power to shift to the southern part of the country, throwing his weight behind the Southern Governors’ Forum’s resolution on the zoning of the presidential seat in 2023. During an interview on a television programme, Governor Zulu said: “I have said it times without number that I, Professor Babagana Zulum, I am of the view that the presidency should go to the South in the year 2023 because the unity of our country is very important. Secondly, inclusivity is very important. Thirdly, I am in the APC. Six or seven years ago, APC had zoned the presidency to northern Nigeria based on the agreement that in the year 2023, the presidency should go to the south.”
AT this juncture, we want to clearly state that the governors have the right to their opinion and they have canvassed it appropriately. The Hope therefore supports their position based on the existing rotational power shift since 1999. It is pertinent to note that as good as the position of the governors is, they must not just go to sleep over it. They must back up their words with actions and do their thorough home-work, as the journey to the reality of their stand starts from now, since 2023 is by the corner.
THE Southern region is made up of 17 states. The governors must come up with a consensus candidate. This is the time for Southern people to unite and put party sentiments aside. All the parties should come together and start shopping for the right and preferred candidate, with leadership qualities, who must be acceptable to the north and south. They should pick someone with a high level of integrity and who can command respect and acceptance across the divide
ANOTHER important point is that the governors must discourage sectionalism. They should be conscious of the fact that the votes from the south alone may not get them the desired result. So, they should come up with political bargaining. They must go beyond the southern part of the country and capture the middle belt and a pocket of northern states, though it will entail a lot of bargaining.
WE also call on the governors to continue to ensure an improvement in the electoral processes. For example, they should see to Nigeria having a credible data base system that can confirm the credibility of the citizens.
HOWEVER, the governors must understand that elections are not won on sentiments, but won on actual votes cast. They should know that conducting an election is like fighting a battle; hence, they must not rest on their oars, but take the battle to the doorsteps of the people. Without wasting time, they must start educating the populace and do grassroots sensitisation to carry those in the rural areas along. They must ensure eligible voters get registered and those who are yet to collect their voter cards get them now, and mobilise people to come out enmasse and cast their votes during the election. Finally, they must ensure they have reliable agents across the nation to protect the votes of the people.