Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and human rights activist, has kicked against the rotational presidency system in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that Sowore, who featured on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, emphasised that the country should prioritise a president who can effectively govern, regardless of their region of origin.
“If I have a good president in Nigeria, who can run this country very well, I don’t care where he comes from,” Sowore stated. He believes that the majority of Nigerians aspire for a leader who can deliver good governance, rather than one selected based on their geographical location.
Sowore also argued that zoning the presidency to a particular region or group can be counterproductive.
“When you zone it to the north, the majority of the northerners would want to take a shot at it. When you zone it back to the south, the south of Nigeria is not Yoruba or Igbo alone. It is just senseless.”
According to Sowore, the focus should be on individual merit and qualifications rather than geographical zoning.
“Zoning the presidency to the worst character in the country is not going to make you get anywhere. Give everybody a chance. Come and contest for president, governor, local government chairman, and present your agenda, speak to us, and we will look at your character, exposure, and vote for you.”
The debate over rotational presidency has been ongoing, with some advocating for the presidency to remain in the South, given that incumbent President Bola Tinubu, a Southerner from Lagos State, has held the office since 2023.
