ROTATION OF NIGERIA PRESIDENCY : CENTRIPETAL OR CENTRIFUGAL FORCE?

"The "rotation of power" as a concept, convention, principle or policy is usually advocated to engender togetherness or oneness towards building a stronger nationhood".... Yugbovwre.

The above theme is a conundrum that is expected to elicit a potpourri of responses from the various ethnic nationalities and/or regions.

That is, it depends largely, perhaps subjectively too, on the side of the geo-political equation one belongs.

Yet, in fairness to the composition of Nigeria as a country of several nationalities, with her skewed federal system of government, little is expected of it to run according to the fundamentals of democracy as applicable in many countries practicing federalism as a system of government. 

The "rotation of power" as a concept, convention, principle or policy is usually advocated to engender togetherness or oneness towards building a stronger nationhood. In some quarters, it might appear or sound malapropic because of the inherent balancing of the metrics of power within a larger political superstructure such as ours.

The concept as discomforting as it is to some Nigerians, those hegemons (selfish clan of leaders) controlling the levers of power and deliberately blinded to the ostensible absurdities that pervade the polity, are most unwilling to cede power to groups and persons under their jackboots.

Naturally, this groups of elites who have appropriated to themselves the configured  political leverages and capital, are automatically inclined to see the power rotation template being canvassed, propagated, and agitated for by the rest of us  (marginalized people) as  undemocratic irrespective of  the global acknowledgment of the weird variant of federalism that defines the Nigeria experiment with participatory democracy.

This hapless class cutting across tribes and tongues,  unified by hunger, deprivation, insecurity, et al, see power rotation as having the centripetence to promote equity and fairness in the unrelenting quest for true nationhood.

Against this backdrop, the question of rotation of the presidency amongst the component parts of Nigeria will be dissected for Nigerians to properly comprehend its merits and demerits and thereafter attempt to suggest which region should produce the presidency in the interest of peace, harmony and economic growth in 2023.

There are six zones duly recognized within the Nigerian political structure, namely, ; North West, North East , North Central, South South, South West and South East. However, within this broad geopolitical grouping, there exists other ethnic nationalities that are more resonating at the background but less visible on the front lines.

In view of the above incontestable facts, we shall therefore begin our analysis and prescription with the six geopolitical zones in relation to offices occupied by persons from each of the zones since 1999 when the current democratic dispensation was midwifed

The Southwest region was "fortunate" enough to produce the first occupant of Aso Rock between 1999 and 2007, the Northwest gave us Musa Yar'aduah (2007-- 2009). Soon after, unfortunately though, death unwittingly diverted the exalted office of the presidency to the South South in the person of Goodluck Jonathan from 2009-2015 . 

Again in 2015 till date the reigns of government returned to the Northwest with Mohammadu Buhari, the incumbent president.

Whilst the Northeast has not been fortunate enough to produce the president, the region had however produced the vice president in the person of Atiku Abubakar invariably placing the Northeast in the 4th position after the South-south coming closely behind the Southwest region that has produced both the president and the vice- president just like the South-south.

Given the above facts, it is apparent that the North central and the South East are the most disfavored, and thus most  favoured by juxtaposition to produce the next president in 2023 if Nigerians are conscionable enough to protect the equity inherent in the pertinent principle of rotation.

It may be strongly argued that the Northeast is on the same plateau as the Northcentral in that both regions have produced the vice presidents at different times . However, as persuasive that might appear, the eight years of vice president Atiku Abukakar is more than the six  years of vice president Mohammed Namadi Sambo .

On this score, the equity tilts in favour of either the Southeast  (who have had the privilege of churning out presidents of the Senate overtime in spite of her seeming shortfalls on the presidency) or the North Central, the region with the least share of fortune  in the Northern region.

All well meaning persons who do not want to imperil our democracy and the survivability of Nigeria, the pride of the black race which is yet to unleash her full potentials should subscribe to the rotation template as canvassed herein.

Some school of thought which I subscribe to  are adverse to a president from the South East at the next election circle in 2023  not based on ratiocination but deep subjective sentiments which however is supported by  rationalization .

Yours truly is of the strong view that the North Central States especially of Plateau, Benue, Kogi and Nassarawa States should be our cynosure in the race to get a successor to Muhammadu Buhari to take Nigeria out of the woods. 

This, l humbly opine.

Kenneth Yugbovwre Mph,

Trinity College,

Dublin - Ireland