[size=15pt]Presidency belongs to S-South from 2015—IGBINI [/size]
Written by Emma Amaize
Monday, 22 September 2008
GOVERNORSHIP aspirant of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Delta State in the 2007 Governorship polls, Mr. Emmanuel Igbini says the Presidency of Nigeria will be an exclusive and non-negotiable right of the South-South geo-political zone by 2015 to 2023.
Going by the gentleman agreement brokered by the powers that be, which saw General Olusegun Obasanjo (retd.) emerge in 1999 from the South-West as President for eight years and the incumbent, President Umaru Yar’Adua from the North Central, succeeding him in 2007.

For now, he said the Vice Presidency occupied by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is what the South-South is entitled to from 2007- 2015 and so the South-South should wait for its turn in 2015, he said, adding that, nobody should stop the North Central from completing its tenure, which is till 2015.

In a statement yesterday, he said, “To change this agreement now would be the worse injustice to the South South zone of Nigeria”.

His words, “irrespective of the unjust and underserved humiliating sack of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, the Presidency of Nigeria has been zoned to the North Central geo-political zone from 2007 -2015) and it must exhaust this eight- year tenure in the event that President Yar Adua resigns due to his health”, adding, “This is in line with the highly moral gentleman agreement, initiated and faithfully executed by Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda to guarantee equal sense of belonging, rights and obligations to all the six geo-political zones, senatorial districts, etc to the leadership, protection and development of our beloved nation, Nigeria.”

“May I remind the nation that Presidents Obasanjo, Yar Adua, Vice Presidents Atiku, Goodluck Jonathan, Senate Presidents, House Speakers and the various Governors emerged first and foremost, not on their merits or credible elections, but, by the gentleman agreement, this agreement is to the advantage of the oppressed numerically disadvantaged zones of Nigeria like the South -South Zone, which has cried out against their marginalization and whose people would never have any strong hope of leading this nation if the constitutional provision of one man, one vote is strictly adhered to.

“This gentleman arrangement is and must remain sacrosanct and superior to all sections of the Nigerian Constitution , including the much talked about Sections 146 and 147 requiring the Vice President to become President in the event of permanent incapacitation or resignation of President”, he said.

Igbini noted, “The South West had their 8-year Tenure (1999 -2007) why then should the North Central be short-changed? Despite the impeachments of Senate Presidents (1999- 2007), the Senate Presidency was reserved for the South East to exhaust her 8 years. Only few months ago, Speaker Bankole emerged after Hon. Etteh because it was the South West turn.

“Kingibe would soonest be vindicated, showered with commendations rather than condemnations as we see now. Truth is bitter but we must swallow and defend it at all times,” he asserted.

source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/17560/42/

when would it be the turn of the Ibos

ignorance

yar adua is from the north west and not north central

DRANOEL:

ignorance

yar adua is from the north west and not north central

You know!!!!!!

Not sure the man's logic

Atiku was from the North East and the Presidency rotated to the Noth-West, so not exactly sure the thinking behind his logic.

2015 is 7 years away and the fool is talking about power rotation.

What happens in the daily lives of his constituency in the next 7years is no use to the fool

bilymuse:

when would it be the turn of the Ibos

When Lord Lugard and his wife come back to life.

Going by the gentleman agreement brokered by the powers that be

who are these power brokers?
I thought rotation was a PDP arrangement and not PRP

what party is the PRP anyway, shouldn't these guys just form a coalition to challenge the PDP

Dis Guy:



what party is the PRP anyway, shouldn't these guys just form a coalition to challenge the PDP

have nigerians parties ever been able to pull our a coalition? i doubt they have tried it ever since the AD/APP fiasco. parties in nigeria are run more by personalities rather than ideology. fragmented parties with no recognizable ideology benefits the PDP.

bawomolo:

have nigerians parties ever been able to pull our a coalition? i doubt they have tried it ever since the AD/APP fiasco. parties in nigeria are run more by personalities rather than ideology. fragmented parties with no recognizable ideology benefits the PDP.

I agree with above in bold. Our politics is that of personalities and money as oppossed to ideologies and issues. The last time we have a geniue issues were UPN of the south west, NPP of the south east and a bit by NPN especially on agriculture. otherwise it is all about 'daily bread' per garrisson commander- late Adedibu


The other major problem is that this 'arrangement' is solely PDP and that is what is worrisome about it.

Suppose another party took office and decide not to respect that 'arrangement' and I am convinced that the North will try to go back on that arrangemnt by trying to elect another Northerner via another party.  I hope and prayed for the sake of all good Nigerians that I am proved wrong.

My own proposal would be that for the sake of completeness, South south in 2015-2023, then north central (or whichever of the north that has not ruled Nigeria) and then south east afterwards  OR EVEN 4 YEARS INSTEAD OF 8 YEARS ( WHICHEVER PARTY IN POWER) and then everything reset on merit but under no circumstances that a particular region must select a president for two consecutive period as the North will manipulate it as usual.

Also with the greatest of respect to South East, there are two things I suggest they do before their time comes. (1.)  rally round one good leader for them to present  (2). deal with Biafran question. You either choose to lead and your man be President of Nigeria or just keep talking of Biafra. I personally noted injustices to the Igbo's but so also are injustices to the South south and the south west. Our brothers from the North are master political game player and we have to be able to make them to play fair otherwise they will continue to use divide and rule on the rest of Nigerians.

vigasimple:


The other major problem is that this 'arrangement' is solely PDP and that is what is worrisome about it.

Suppose another party took office and decide not to respect that 'arrangement' and [b]I am convinced that the North will try to go back on that arrangemnt by trying to elect another Northerner via another party. I hope and prayed for the sake of all good Nigerians that I am proved wrong.
[/b]
My own proposal would be that for the sake of completeness, South south in 2015-2023, then north central (or whichever of the north that has not ruled Nigeria) and then south east afterwards OR EVEN 4 YEARS INSTEAD OF 8 YEARS ( WHICHEVER PARTY IN POWER) and then everything reset on merit but under no circumstances that a particular region must select a president for two consecutive period as the North will manipulate it as usual.

Also with the greatest of respect to South East, there are two things I suggest they do before their time comes. (1.) rally round one good leader for them to present (2). deal with Biafran question. You either choose to lead and your man be President of Nigeria or just keep talking of Biafra. I personally noted injustices to the Igbo's but so also are injustices to the South south and the south west. Our brothers from the North are master political game player and we have to be able to make them to play fair otherwise they will continue to use divide and rule on the rest of Nigerians.

Still miffed by the assumptions that the north is this revered region that always gets its way when it comes to nigeria. If the north goes back to the arrangement will they be doing that on their own without the role of the other region they will eventually agree to rotate with? if other regions decide not to play ball with the rotation and they lose what will they do; call for a break up??

with greatest respect to all regions shouting marginalisation, I think its an insult to Nigerian considering the fact they are also part of the Ruling party!!! After several years the politicians from these regions have not been able to reach an agreement to get favourable policies that will improve the social-economic standing of these states. you certainly cant criticise something you have been part of especially when you are not looking to form your own alliance or party to speak on your behalf!

Also with the greatest of respect to South East, there are two things I suggest they do before their time comes. (1.)  rally round one good leader for them to present  (2). deal with Biafran question. You either choose to lead and your man be President of Nigeria or just keep talking of Biafra. I personally noted injustices to the Igbo's but so also are injustices to the South south and the south west. Our brothers from the North are master political game player and we have to be able to make them to play fair otherwise they will continue to use divide and rule on the rest of Nigerians.

I totally disagree with point number one because it is very ridiculous (no disrespect meant), the idea that a whole tribe should find a consensus leader is simply funny. In every tribe their will be progressives, conservertives and centrist and so too will their be people of different political views in other tribes. So expecting one tribe to choose a President for the rest of the country is just so backward, the Nigerian people should be allowed to choose. Whenever the Presidency is rotated to any zone, that zone owes our country the responsibility to field its best hands and let the Nigerian people choose. Because the priorities for which a geopolitical zone will choose its preferred leaders may not conform with that of the rest of the country. So ability to choose is fundamental to any democracy.

I personally noted injustices to the Igbo's but so also are injustices to the South south and the south west. Our brothers from the North are master political game player and we have to be able to make them to play fair otherwise they will continue to use divide and rule on the rest of Nigerians

Unfortunately making the point above after making point number one in your post does not quite work.

You quickly endorse fall-in-line politics based on zonal views (yes that is what you do when you encourage regional consensus candidates) and yet you bemoan divide and rule tactics of the North. Well the truth is Northerners practice a religion and tradition that make it easy for people to coalese arround a common course even though they don't understand the course or even believe in them.
While most Southerners prefer to think for themselves and are truly democratic by nature.

So the truth of the matter is, so long as we continue to glorify fall-in-line politics in Nigeria. And voting along ethnic and religous lines and voting how our Chiefs and Imams have asked us to vote. There will always be one temporary winner (the Northern Elite). While the rest of the country including even ordinary Northerners will remain long term loosers.


So for me, while rotational Presidency is good. We must say not to regional consensus candidates and voting along ethnic lines and make them as unpopular as possible. We must begin to learn to identify with a leaders political views for the Nation not whether people of his tribe were ready to coalese arround him.


AND BY THE WAY FOR THE RECORDS NOBODY HAS DECIDED HOW OR WHERE POWER WILL ROTATE TO BY 2011, LET ALONE 2015. IF IT WAS ALL ABOUT WHO HAS NOT PRODUCED THE PRESIDENT AT ALL, I THINK THE NORTH EAST WOULD HAVE TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER NORTH WEST AND IDEALLY PRESIDENCY WOULD HAVE BEEN ROTATED DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH SOUTH FROM SOUTH WEST. BUT THE FACT THAT IT MOVED TO NORTH WEST AFTER SOUTHWEST MEANT THAT MOST CALCULATIONS BEGIN FROM 1999

Who cares where Presidency goes as long as people are still suffering. Like someone said, Presidency could be privatised for all I care. Thabo Mbeki should come and run Nigeria abeg. What kind of nonsense power rotation is this?

Also with the greatest of respect to South East, there are two things I suggest they do before their time comes. (1.)  rally round one good leader for them to present  (2). deal with Biafran question. You either choose to lead and your man be President of Nigeria or just keep talking of Biafra. I personally noted injustices to the Igbo's but so also are injustices to the South south and the south west. Our brothers from the North are master political game player and we have to be able to make them to play fair otherwise they will continue to use divide and rule on the rest of Nigerians.
[quote][/quote]


Here we go again, another unsolicited advise, another expert on Ndigbo, which every Dick and Harry seems to be. Tell me, how united were the Yoruba nation behind Obasanjo in 1999 before he becomes a president? And that didn't hamper or stopped him. How united were the north in 2007 behind one candidate? If I recall correctly, Buhari and Atiku are still in court fighting Yar Adua's selection as we speak. And Buhari and Yar Adua happens to come EVEN from the same state.
Haba!! I can't imagine what the sermon will be now if they were Igbos, how disunited they are will become the topic issue.

Igbos are expected to become this sort of robots, programmed to speak as one inorder for them to be considered president of Nigeria. The North has 3 candidates in 1979/83 presidential election and Yoruba nation had two candidates in Chief Awolowo and Dr Tunji Braithweith and Igbos had one  in Dr Azikiwe. That multi candidacy didn't actually stop Shehu Shagari becoming president, neither did we hear the should of disunity of the North because of Aminu Kano and Waziri Ibrahim also was in the same race. Or was Azikiwe got elected according to your biased and idiotic theory because he was a lonely Igbo candidate?

What Biafran question are you vommiting about? How many Igbo's elitist politicians today would point that belongs to MASSOB or identified with the quest for Biafra? The ruling party in Scotland (SNP) are committed towards taking Scotland out of the whole of United Kingdom and that had never stopped a Scotsman Gordon Brown becoming the UK's premier if that is the case.

Even if Igbos are to walk on their head or run around naked in your market places,  people like you will always have something to croak about and still won't be satisfied. Only a foolish, myopic and sycophant Igbo son or daughter believes in project Nigeria anyway. Whenever the so called formulear is to reach South East (2032), there will always be a story to be told, even a coup will not be a less option if possible. Leave us a alone please!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, we don't actually give a damn who rules Nigeria as it doesn't or will make any difference to our lives, the problem is not who is ruling but the system under which Nigeria is built and being governed. Next time keep your expertise opinon to yourself.

Eziachi:

Here we go again, another unsolicited advise, another expert on Ndigbo, which every Dick and Harry seems to be. Tell me, how united were the Yoruba nation behind Obasanjo in 1999 before he becomes a president? And did that hamper him? How united were the north in 2007 behind one candidate? If I recall correctly, Buhari and Atiku are still in court fighting Yar Adua's selection called election and Buhari and Yar Adua happens to come from the same state even. I can't imagine what the sermon will be now if they are Igbos, on how disunited they are.

Igbos are expected to become robots programmed to speak as one before they will become president Nigeria. The north has 3 candidates in 1979/83 and Yorubas has two, Chief Awolowo and Dr Braithweith and Igbos had one in Dr Azikiwe and that didn't stop Shagari or neither did we hear about disunity because of Aminu Kano and Waziri Ibrahim. Or did Azikiwe got elected according to your biased and idiotic theory.

What Biafran question are you vommiting about? How many Igbo elite politicians belong to MASSOB or identified with the quest for Biafra? The ruling party in Scotland (SNP) are committed towards taking Scotland out of the whole of United Kingdom and that never stop the Scotsman Gordon Brown becoming the UK's premier if that is the case.

Even if Igbos walk on their head or run around naked in the market place, people like you will always have something to crow about and still won't be satisfied. Only a foolish, myopic and sycophant Igbo son or daughter believes in project Nigeria anyway. Whenever the so called formular will reach South East (2032) there will always be a story to be told, even a coup will not be a less option if possible. Leave us a alone please!!!!!!!!!!!

As we don't give a damn who rules Nigeria as it doesn't or will make any difference to our lives, the problem is not who is ruling but the system under which Nigeria is built and being governed.

Good points, good points!

People also expect the same from South-South like we are a single cell organism programmed to speak and behave as one. They even ask us why we have bad leaders; then tell us we should blame our leaders; as if our leaders are not part of the same PDP election machine they suffer from.

we get very myopic definition of patriotism for naija sha!!!!

Those wey dey kill their compatriots because prophet Mohamed was cartooned in Denmark are from the North. Yet the North is more Patriotic than the rest of us.

God help us sha.

[center]I THINK YOU ALL GOT IT WRONG, THE ISSUE OF NIH. ONLY THE NORTH KNOWS HOW TO PLAY IT BETTER.
WHY DON'T YOU OTHERS GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT. NORTH KNOWS
POLITICS AND THEY ALSO HAVE UNITY AND RESPECT FOR ELDERS. THAT IS WHY THEY ALWAYS GET WANT
THEY WANT AL THE TIME. LET ME TELL YOU THIS POWER HAS COME TO STAY IN NORTHEN NIGERIA, BE IT
NORTH EAST,NORTH WEST OR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH IS NORTH.

DO YOU KNOW THAT THE SO CALL MINISTRY OF NIGERDELTA,PEOPLE FROM THAT REGION CAN NOT BE THE MINISTER.
BE COS THEY CAN NOT MANAGE. AND BET ME AT THE END OF THE DAY IT THIS MY BROAD CALLED ABACK THAT WILL BE BEG TO COME AND RULE THE REGION AGAIN BE COS WE NORTH IS BORN TO RULE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

THANK FELLOW NIGERIANS.[color=#006600][/color][/center][b][/b][b][/b]

Delirious Jihadists are on rampage. . . Allaaaaaaaaaafu Archubar!!! Whoever has the keys to the zoo must be fired for letting the mutant baboon out of the zoo. . .

Grafik, it is like Jumanji on Nairaland today. . . . animals everywhere. . . . see dis one making mouth about Northerners are born to rule. . . . .people love power but never do anything with it that can benefit Nigeria. . . .then come and make mouth about their leadership qualities. . . . God bless OBJ, if not for anything, at least for organising our capital markets.

If Nigeria is to move forward, The Presidency should be in the south for the next 30yrs. So that we will be able to plan very well both Politically and Economically. With these rotation of presidency, I don't know what we expect from CATTLE LEADERS

For now, he said the Vice Presidency occupied by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is what the South-South is entitled to from 2007- 2015 and so the South-South should wait for its turn in 2015, he said, adding that, nobody should stop the North Central from completing its tenure, which is till 2015.

the Nigeria rotational presidency is very complex, and people interprets  it,  the best way it suit them.

Present arrangement:

Presidency             - North west
Vice-p                     -  South south
Senate President    - North central
Speaker                  - South west

What position are the Ibo position  occupying in the present arrangement.  
The Ibos are truly marginalised, even south south , are positioning themself for presidency come 2015.
l cant hear any Ibo voice!

Ibime

Grafik, it is like Jumanji on Nairaland today. . . . animals everywhere. . . . see this one making mouth about Northerners are born to rule. . . . .people love power but never do anything with it that can benefit Nigeria. . . .then come and make mouth about their leadership qualities. . . . God bless OBJ, if not for anything, at least for organising our capital markets.

jumanji indeed, whose turn is it to roll  the dice

These are some of the things that gets on my nerves.
Democracy and power rotation, i am not sure, what terms to use for it.

Rhino

These are some of the things that gets on my nerves.
Democracy and power rotation, i am not sure, what terms to use for it.

presidency is the only plum job that gives you unrestricted access to oil revenue, thats what everybody is fighting for, and its the only thing that matters in Nigeria; to postulate otherwise is a waste of time. Its reality.

OLIGHI:

If Nigeria is to move forward, The Presidency [b]should be in the south [/b]for the next 30yrs. So that we will be able to plan very well both Politically and Economically. With these rotation of presidency, I don't know what we expect from CATTLE LEADERS

I've always though people fight or form alliance to get power not just command power to their region, people fight for power one way or the other not sit and expect other power hungry people to hand it over, you work for it! not run to America cos some cattle rearers are holding on to it!

why don't they plan politically and economically to get the presidency in the first place?

OLIGHI:

If Nigeria is to move forward, The Presidency should be in the south for the next 30yrs. So that we will be able to plan very well both Politically and Economically. With these rotation of presidency, I don't know what we expect from CATTLE LEADERS

why can't the south form a coalition while trying to attract disgruntled northern groups(they exist believe me). it's seems the south is just fragmented and plagued as the north. what nigeria needs to do is shift to an ideological based political system and not these cult of personality politicians claiming to be awoist, followers of the saraduna BS. politicians in the south haven't distinguished themselves from politicians in the north.

bilymuse:

Rhino
presidency is the only plum job that gives you unrestricted access to oil revenue, thats what everybody is fighting for, and its the only thing that matters in Nigeria; to postulate otherwise is a waste of time. Its reality.

Then let pple just vote and stop the lunacy of power rotation, for God's sake this is not kingship, but presidency.

$$Rhino:

Then let people just vote and stop the lunacy of power rotation, for God's sake this is not kingship, but presidency.

Power rotation is distasteful, but the reason Nigeria did not play out like Kenya and Zimbabwe after 2007 election is simple: The three people who had any chance of wining from the major political parties were all from North.

Nobody could possibly start up ethnic and tribal wars because Buhari or Atiku lost election to Yar'adua.

Unfortunately there is not trust in the country, so the current power rotation is helpful so long as we make sure it is fair to all.


But what we should do is to ensure that Nigerians as a whole are allowed to choose their President for themselves regardless of the zone power is rotated to.

bawomolo:

what nigeria needs to do is shift to an ideological based political system and not these cult of personality politicians claiming to be awoist, followers of the saraduna BS. politicians in the south haven't distinguished themselves from politicians in the north.

If we form ideology based systems, the North will turn Nigeria to Afghanistan. We all know that no ideology, neither socialism nor capitalism resonates with the North unless it is linked to religion.

We all know that no ideology, neither socialism nor capitalism resonates with the North unless it is linked to religion.

one reason i support a confederation of autonomous regions. middle-belt northerners aren't bounded by islam. they are a group who form a tie-breaker between the north and south. with more literacy, the north would probably become more secular.

Rhino

Then let people just vote and stop the lunacy of power rotation, for God's sake this is not kingship, but presidency

Sorry, election dont work in Nigeria, the person that rig most wins. That is the reason we introduce power rotation to complement our ethnocracy - democracy, and ensure that the national cake goes round among some selected few.
Its a vicious circle.

By Vigasimple:

Also with the greatest of respect to South East, there are two things I suggest they do before their time comes. (1.)  rally round one good leader for them to present  (2). deal with Biafran question. You either choose to lead and your man be President of Nigeria or just keep talking of Biafra. I personally noted injustices to the Igbo's but so also are injustices to the South south and the south west. Our brothers from the North are master political game player and we have to be able to make them to play fair otherwise they will continue to use divide and rule on the rest of Nigerians.

When i say you nigerians are fools and arrogant idiots, you won't try to see where i am coming from. Igbos should deal with the Biafran question ehhh? Rubbish insinuation. Why don't you say nigeria should deal with the Biafran question? is your head so porous that you don't understand how nigeria can deal with the Biafran question? Have you asked yourself why Niger Deltans are taking up arms? If you claim not to know, it's because of nigeria's criminal neglect of their region.

Same applies to agitating Biafrians. Come up with sincere governance and develop every region as you did to others, remove some policies that are meant to keep some group (Igbos) down, build international airport, sea port in Igboland that MERITED it, build their federal road networks as you did in yoru own region, plus more, and you would have dealt with the Biafran question. It is your fed's responsibility to deal with the Biafran question and not the Igbo's responsibility.

Don't be so dumb to be mouthing off just "deal with the Biafran question" when you are the one causing the people to agitate in the first place. You personally noted injustices to the Igbos which have been running since over 40 years, yet you are surprise as to why they are coming up with the Biafran question?  Are you sincere to yourself? Well, sincerity will never be in the same equation with you nigerians.

Second, for you, Igbos should rally round one good leader for them to present? Really? When it's Igbo's turn, standard are set, but since it have been you people's turn since independence, no one is questioning standard. You kept on producing mediocrity and lame, both civilians and military. Don't you sound foolish there? Yet you claim not to know. If you don't know, i will point it out to you.  YOU SOUND IDIOTIC. Don't set standard for Igbos. If nigeria will ever remain one until the turn of Igbos to produce the president, let the Igbos produce even the most imbecilic among them to rule you nigerians, then so be it. After all, you haven't been producing better, so why should Igbos be made to produce their best for you. And look at who is giving the order, you nigerians. Nonsense!!

Last, but not the least, your so called brothers from the north are no masters of political game of any magnitude. they are just having their way now because of the support of the evil British people. They have advantage of military installations being in their area and know they can use it at any time to subdue others that don't agree with them as British thought them to do to protect their oil inthe Niger Delta.

(What is happenign in the Niger Delta readily comes to mind) Britain are their supporters telling them what to do from London, and backing it with military support. Distribute military installation EQUALY in all regions (exactly what and Igbo president must do if nigeria remains one then) and come back to tell me they are masters of political game. Because by then every region can stand to fight if they feel cheated which is not so possible at the moment. Nonsense!!

I don't think Nigerians would care where the president came from If he was doing a good job. The idea of rotation is not a very bright one. It means that a president is chosen not because the populace want him or that he is qualified but rather because of his roots. Amazing!!

OBJ 8 horrible years
SW- president
NE - VP
SE - Senate P
NC - D Senate P
NW - Speaker
SS - D speaker

UMY possibly 8 dull years
NW- president
SS - VP
NC - Senate President
SE - D senate P
SW - speaker
NE - D speaker

With this terrible arrangement that has failed to produce any result in 9 years some loons are suscribing we continue with this sham.

Any South-South (N-D), Should not be hoping or talking about Nigeria presidency because it makes no different having it or not. What we have to focus and work hard on is, how to get our selves out from this Devil Fulani/Hausa/Yoruba cage call Nigeria. With these three tribes living together with you in the same country, ND people should know that they will never Develope or have any Justice. Leave any thing concerning Nigeria/presidency, Focus on your independent/separation from Nigeria, there is where you will have a better future for your kids not in Fulani/Hausa/Yoruba cage.
We should come together and strongly support our brave Heroes MEND and all Freedom Fighters whom understood this and are fighting hard for our Freedom.