Analysis: Why these 6 Northern Governors are Supporting Power Shift to South in 2023

Analysis: Why these 6 Northern Governors are Supporting Power Shift to South in 2023

As the 2023 presidential election draws closer amid underground campaigns among some aspirants, the call for power to be zone to the southern region is getting louder and is being met with stiff rejection and opposition from the north.

However, some Nigerian politicians of northern extraction hold strongly the opinion that it is only fair for the south to produce the country's next leader since their zone by 2023 would have had its fairs show of power at the centre for at least eight years.

Many of such persons are governors on the platform of the All progressives Congress (APC) who would rather support the chairmanship of the ruling party to come northward.

Six northern governors
These governors are in support of power shift to the south come 2023 (Photo: Daily Nigerian, Premium Times)
Source: UGC

These governors are as follows:

1. Samuel Ortom

The Benue governor is fully in support of rotational presidency and believes that it is the time of the south to lead Nigeria.

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One of the governor's spokesman, as reported by Vanguard, recently said on his behalf:

“Governor Ortom believes that only equity, fairness and justice can strengthen the unity of Nigeria, give all citizens a sense of belonging and reduce tensions across the country."

2. Babagana Zulum

Zulum is of the view that zoning the presidency to the south in the coming poll is crucial to national unity and inclusivity.

Quoting him, a report by The News Nigeria said:

“I have said it times without number that 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 2023, the presidency should go to the south."

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3. Nasir El-Rufai

For El-Rufai, although the idea of rotating power is not enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, it is a political practice that should be respected.

His words:

“The southern part of the country is supposed to produce the President come 2023; I don’t support a northerner to vie for the seat after President Muhammadu Buhari based on Nigeria’s political arrangement."

4. Abdullahi Ganduje

Governor Ganduje, a die-hard ally of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, believes that zoning is a strategy that favours the APC to win elections and as such, the south should benefit from it.

5. Aminu Bello Masari

The Katsina governor backs the notion that in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, a non-northern should succeed President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023.

6. Abdullahi Sule

Governor Sule of Nasarawa does not see anything wrong in allowing a southern president to emerge in 2023, Vanguard reports.

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"I have never said anything against the agitation for rotation of the presidency to the South. It’s because I don’t think it’s a bad idea for peace in Nigeria if there is a rotational presidency."

Presidency can't go to south in 2023, northern governors finally declare

Meanwhile, the governors of the 19 states in the north had finally revealed their position on a southern presidency in 2023.

The governors on Monday, September 27, opposed the call by their southern counterparts that the presidency should be zoned to the south in 2023.

Legit.ng gathered that the resolution was made when the governors held an emergency meeting with traditional rulers in the region at the Government House in Kaduna state.

Source: Legit.ng

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