Southern governors have reaffirmed their position that Nigeria’s presidency should rotate between the North and South, insisting that the country’s next leader should emerge from the southern region.
The governors made their position known in a communiqué issued after a meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum in Lagos on July 5, 2021.
They said the arrangement was necessary to promote fairness, equity, justice and national unity, while ensuring peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
According to the governors, the presidency should continue to rotate between the two regions to give different parts of the country a sense of inclusion in national leadership.
The forum also discussed other pressing national issues, including insecurity, constitutional amendments, the Petroleum Industry Bill and the implementation of anti-open grazing laws across member states.
While commending lawmakers for passing the Petroleum Industry Bill, the governors opposed the proposed three per cent allocation to host communities from oil and gas companies’ operating expenditure.
The meeting was attended by several state governors, including Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.
Their position formed part of the wider debate over power rotation and regional representation ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Note: The report is dated July 5, 2021, and concerns the political debate ahead of the 2023 election; it is not a new breaking-news announcement.
