Nigerians Angry Over Northern Governors’ Opposition to 2023 Power Shift

 

The decision of the Northern States Governors’ Forum not to accept a power shift in 2023 has received serious condemnation.

 

Recall that the Northern governors on Monday opposed the call by its Southern counterpart that the Presidency should move to the South in 2023.

 

A new report by Punch has revealed that Nigerians have opposed the decision of the northern governors.

 

The northern governors, who stated this at their meeting in Kaduna,  said the call by the Southern Governors’ Forum was against the constitution of the country.

 

But groups including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Afenifere and the Delta State Government said the northern governors’ position was against the unity of the country.

 

The southern governors at their recent meeting in Enugu reiterated their demand that the Presidency should shift to the South in 2023.

 

On Monday, the northern governors said although some of them had endorsed the Southern governors’ call for power shift to the South, the regional governors collectively condemned such a call.

 

They said the statement by their Southern counterparts contradicted the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

 

They  added that the elected President must meet the requirements which include getting “the majority votes, scoring at least 25  per cent of the votes cast in two thirds of the states of the federation; in case of a runoff, a simple majority win.”

 

These were contained in a communiqué issued  after an emergency meeting of the regional governors and the chairmen of Northern Council of Chiefs  held in Kaduna on Monday.

 

The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who read out the communiqué on behalf of his colleagues, also said the issue of the  collection of Value added Tax by states was before the court.

 

He said it would amount to subjuduice to take a decision on the matter.

 

Lalong insisted that it was the view of his colleagues that until  there is pronouncement by the Supreme Court on the substantive matter between Rivers and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, “the matter is subjudice and Northern States Governors’ Forum would respect this.”

 

The 11-point-communique read, “The forum observed that some northern  governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three geopolitical zones in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation.

 

The governors also lauded the current onslaught by the military on bandits and insurgents in the some part of the north.

 

Besides, the forum   decried the high level of conspiracies being perpetrated by some judicial officers in releasing  and granting bail to arrested criminals.  “This attitude sabotages the fight against criminality, therefore, there the need to develop good and robust intelligence mechanism amongst States was identified as a panacea,” Lalong added.

 

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the South, including  have taken on northern governors over  opposition to power shift to the South.

 

On its part, the Delta State Government said  it  aligned with the decision of Southern Governors’ Forum.

 

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who stated this in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday in Asaba, said, “The Delta State Government has already aligned with the decision of southern governors, so it does not matter whether the northern governors are opposing it. We were there when the decision was taken and that is final as far  as Delta is concerned”

 

When contacted, his Ondo State counterpart,  Mr Donald Ojogo, said, “They (northern governors) have expressed and indeed exercised their rights under the freedom of expression. No one can stop them from expressing themselves.”

 

But the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization,  Ohanaeze Ndigbo, described the position of the northern governors as unfortunate.

 

It  said the North  benefited from the Nigerian union more than it contributed to it.

 

Spokesman  for  the Igbo apex body, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, warned the northern leaders to have a rethink if they wanted the Nigerian union to continue.

 

Ogbonnia said, “If there is any group of people that benefits from the corporate existence of Nigeria, it is the North. This is because what northerners bring to the table is far  less than what they take from the table. So instead of looking for a way for Nigeria to remain united, develop and grow, they are looking at the way Nigeria will break up. It is simply inconceivable that the North that benefits the most from this country would like the country to break up.

 

Ogbonnia, however stated, “I don’t want to believe that the northerners are happy with what is happening in the country today.  Only a person who is happy with what is happening will be talking about efforts that will bring about crisis and disunity. What is happening in Nigeria today is a result of injustice and inequity. Instead of trying to ameliorate the situation and bring about the desired the change based on equity, fair play and somebody will be very busy orchestrating more injustice.”

 

PANDEF described northern governors’ opposition for power shift to the South as most ridiculous, cowardly and irresponsible.

 

The National Publicity Secretary of the group, Ken Robinson stated this during a telephone chat with one of  our correspondents on Monday.

 

Robinson said the attitude of the northern governors to the southern Presidency when they enjoyed massive support from the South for the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to come to power was insensitive.

 

He stated, “The decision of the northern governors is most ridiculous and insensitive. It exposes them as hypocrites and cowards. That is what they are and they should be told clearly. Their decision is ridiculous.

“After using our money and our votes to become President, they are saying that power will not shift. It is unfortunate, it is ridiculous and it is the most unreasonable, irresponsible statement from any group that exists in Nigeria,” the PANDEF spokesman added.

 

The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, said equity and fairness demand that Presidency should come to the South in 2023.

 

Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents on Monday, the group’s spokesman expressed surprise at the position of the governors, saying some northern governors had said before that power should come to the South in 2023

 

The Afenifere spokesman said, “ This new position by the  governors indicated that the issue of forging unity in country is only on their lips and not in their hearts. It is true that zoning is not in the 1999 constitution. So are many other things that are done politically in form of convention.

Thus, while we, as Afenifere, concede that a presidential material can come from any part of the country, equity, fairness and justice demand that the next occupant of the exalted office must come from the South since the North would have occupied that office for unbroken eight years by 2023.

 

 

The Afenifere spokesman asserted that restructuring should take place before the 2023 elections. “If this happens, most of what is causing brouhaha now would be a thing of the past.”