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Politics of Saturday, 16 January 2021

Source: legit.ng

Power should shift to south in 2023 - Governor Zulum

File photo: Prof Babagana Zulum File photo: Prof Babagana Zulum

In a major boost to the quest of the southern part of the country to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Babagana Zulum, has backed the call for power to return to the region in 2023.

The governor of Borno state insisted that any part of the country has the right to the presidency.

He consequently dismissed the fear that some part of the country could not be trusted with power, perhaps for the fear of secession.

Zulum argued that marginalisation had become the loudest concern from the citizenry.

He disclosed this in Lagos on Friday at the 17th Chief Gani Fawehinmi annual lecture, themed ‘The constitutional history of Nigeria’s dysfunction: Any pathway to indivisibility and common progress?’

The event was organised by the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, to celebrate the life and times of the late Fawehinmi.

Going further, he said there must be fairness if the country wants common progress, Punch Newspaper reports.

Zulum said: “I’m persuaded that other sections of the country should be given the opportunity to lead in 2023, why not? It is constitutional.

“We need to understand that pedestrian suspicion is not an empirical or legal reason to deny any section of the country from participation in the leadership of this country.

“One of the loudest concerns from the public is marginalisation. Going further, he called on south-easterners to negotiate for power rather than expect others to leave it for them.

“To our friends and brothers in the South-South and South-East particularly, only God gives power but you have to negotiate for power. Negotiation becomes easier when you make friends across the divide. If we negotiate for power, we don’t always get everything we want, but we will normally mention every clause that covers everything we need.

“I said this because I have heard many people say ‘they don’t want to give us power’ but assumptions and projections will never actualise your aspirations. We must all remember that God gives power but human beings negotiate for it. Every interested party must be prepared to negotiate for it.”