Gift Joseph Okpakorese
Given the forthcoming elections in Nigeria which are slated for 2023 and most specifically that of the seat of the presidency, politicians, and members of various political parties are gradually indicating their preferred choice of candidate for the esteemed position.
While some political leaders are already plotting and scheming about which political party the proposed presidential candidate should emerge from or be affiliated to, others are busy thinking of their private interests and holding secret dialogues with one another, while disputing the issue of which geopolitical zone or region the choice of the next President should be zoned to.
Speaking on the significant debate, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has revealed that there is an internal agreement between members of the All Progressives Congress APC, that power should change positions to the South in 2023.
Zulum made this disclosure last Thursday 25th March, while commenting at the exhibition of a book launch by a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dakuku Perterside.
According to the number one citizen of Borno state, restructuring, state police, and devolution of powers would not solve Nigeria’s lingering problem of power and governance. More has to be done to give agitating Nigerians a sense of belonging in leadership.
Zulum continued stating that; “The issue of power rotation is a covenant between us hence the need to shift the power to the south.
“I have advocated for power to shift to the South and I will continue to do so. Nobody should say that I am saying this because I am looking for the position of vice president; I don’t have an interest.
“I don’t have an interest in becoming the president or the vice president now. Let the Southerners compete among themselves – be it South-South or South-East or South-West.
For him, “This is something we need to do.”
Nevertheless, Zulum delved into the current challenges facing the country. The rampant and persistent issues bothering on insecurity and the ugly stories recorded so far till date. He went on to suggest that the federal government needs a holistic approach to combat the insecurity challenges faced in the country.
Zulum said, “There must be a clear demarcation between competency and loyalty and our leaders must be chosen based on performance.
“I would advocate as a starting point that good governance is the heart and soul of security and development. Bad governance will spread insecurity and destroy the possibility of development as trust is broken between the elected and the electorate.
“A weak system breeds corruption and to survive, people will try whatever means to circumvent due processes and over time this will lead to insecurity.
“The search for alternative means of survival that is not legal constitutes insecurity.”
In the opinion of interested and well-meaning citizens, it is pertinent to get it right in other to avert any form of socio-economic crisis and individual grievances arising from any sort of marginalization or monopoly of power by a particular region or ethnic group within the country.
