Rotimi Akeredolu, the Ondo State governor, is the most vociferous among the Southern governors on rotational presidency. For him, having a president from the South next year, after the North’s eight years under President Muhammadu Buhari, is a personal mission. Indeed, in a public lecture last week, Akeredolu vowed: “We’re ready to give it whatever it takes to make sure power returns to the South in 2023.”

GovernorAkeredolu’s argument rests on two premises. First, he reduced Nigeria to North and South, and said there’s “an unwritten agreement” that power must rotate between them. Second, he justified his call for power rotation on moral grounds, saying: “In the interests of equity, fairness and justice, power must shift to the South.”

But these reasonings are either deeply flawed or lack internal consistency, which denies his argument a sense of validity. Put simply, his argument has no legs to stand on, or stands on wobbly legs!

First, take the North-South construct. Akeredolu argues that Nigeria is divided into North and South, and refers to “an unwritten agreement since the return to civil rule in 1999” to rotate power between the North and the South as if Nigeria’s history started in 1999. But Nigeria’s history did not start in 1999, and it’s utterly misguided to talk about Nigeria’s inherent problems without considering the country’s origins.

Lest we forget. When, in the late 1880s, George Goldie came to the territories later called Nigeria, he didn’t meet a Southern Nigeria or a Northern Nigeria on the ground. Rather, as Chinua Achebe put it in his book, THERE WAS A COUNTRY, Goldie met “ancient kingdoms” and “sophisticated civilisations”, such as the Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Tiv and Ijaw nations, which were “ancient nation-states in their own right”.

First, take the North-South construct. Akeredolu argues that Nigeria is divided into North and South, and refers to “an unwritten agreement since the return to civil rule in 1999” to rotate power between the North and the South as if Nigeria’s history started in 1999. But Nigeria’s history did not start in 1999, and it’s utterly misguided to talk about Nigeria’s inherent problems without considering the country’s origins.

Lest we forget. When, in the late 1880s, George Goldie came to the territories later called Nigeria, he didn’t meet a Southern Nigeria or a Northern Nigeria on the ground. Rather, as Chinua Achebe put it in his book, THERE WAS A COUNTRY, Goldie met “ancient kingdoms” and “sophisticated civilisations”, such as the Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Tiv and Ijaw nations, which were “ancient nation-states in their own right”.

But with the lethal force of the Maxim gun, Goldie defeated the ancient kingdoms and cobbled them together into Southern and Northern entities before transferring them to Britain as protectorates in 1900. Of course, as we know, Britain, under Fredrick Lugard, later amalgamated the Southern and Northern protectorates into Nigeria in 1914.

Here’s my point. The creation of the Southern and Northern protectorates and their amalgamation into Nigeria did not obliterate the core nations that constituted them, nor did the artificial constructs eliminate the inbuilt power struggle among the proud nations.

Indeed, after amalgamating the Southern and Northern protectorates, the British recognised the imperative of not running Nigeria as “North” and “South”. Rather, they divided the country into Northern, Eastern and Western Regions in 1951, and granted self-rule to the East and West in 1956, the North in 1959. A fourth region, Mid-West, was created in 1963. Even today, despite the 36-state structure,Nigeria is divided, politically, into six geo-political zones – three in the South, three in the North – which have acquired a moral force as the basis for power sharing.

So, what am I saying? It’s wrong to talk about an omnibus North-South structure at the expense of the zonal or regional arrangements that agglomerate the ethnic nations that formed Nigeria. Yes, power must rotate between the South and the North, but it must also rotate among the geo-political zones within the South and the North. No one should hide behind the artificial North-South construct to underminethat political imperative.

Thus, Governor Akeredolu is right to say that the presidency should return to the South in 2023. But the moral question he avoids is: Where in the South? Surely, given that, since 1999, the South-West has governed Nigeria for eight years, leaving aside Professor Yemi Osinbajo’s eight years as vice president, and given that the South-South has governed Nigeria for five years, doesn’t it follow that the presidency should go to the South-East, which hasn’t governed Nigeria since 1999? Well, Akeredolu ignores that moral question.

Which brings us to the second premise of his argument for powershift to the South. He invokes the principles of equity, fairness and justice. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Akeredolu is certainly not a stranger to these moral principles. But how does he apply them in this case? If equity, fairness and justice justify power shift to the South, don’t the same principles justify power shift to the South-East, the only Southern geo-political zone that hasn’t produced president since 1999?

In 1999, a national consensus emerged that the South-West should produce the president,  resulting in a contest between two Yoruba candidates. It was based on a strong moral imperative to address the injustice felt by the South-West over the annulment of the 1993 presidential election won by MKO Abiola, a Yoruba.

In THERE WAS A COUNTRY, Professor Achebe said: “Nigerians will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo.” Isn’t it time, in the interest of equity, fairness, justice and, of course, national unity, to prove Achebe wrong and unite nationally behind a president of Igbo extraction in 2023?

But Akeredolu’s idea of equity, fairness and justice doesn’t go that far. Feigning indifference, he said in a Channels TV interview: “If Peter Obi is elected as president, that would be alright; if Bola Ahmed Tinubu is elected, that would be alright,” adding: “For me, it must come to the South.” But that’s false equivalence. It smacks of moral turpitude to say that a Tinubu presidency satisfies the demand for power shift to the South; no, it doesn’t. A just and equitable power shift to the South must be to the South-East.

Think about it. A Tinubu presidency next year would deny the South-East a credible route to the presidency for another 16 years, thereby condemning the Igbo to political wilderness for 40 years since 1999. Is that Akeredolu’s way of promoting national unity?

Truth be told, Akeredolu’s stance on power shift to the South is morally hollow. If he can’t apply the principles of equity, fairness and justice rightly, he should stop being sanctimonious on the issue.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/2023-akeredolus-stance-on-southern-presidency-is-morally-hollow/

Same Akeredolu’s seem nothing wrong with Muslim Muslim ticket. That's hypocrisy

Yoruba killed and buried the Southern Unity!

Let it be on record that it is either Obi/Datti or Atiku/Okowa until Igbo returns to their God's given sovereign land.

With the exit of the Igbo from the Lugard Nigeria's union, the north can rule the west forever.
What a greedy tribe!

Very very hollow especially considering that he doesn’t mind muslim-Muslim ticket.

We shall see

Without restructuring or constitutional amendment .. there’s nothing like North and south..
What we have is 36 states and capital..they all know.. but they keep decievimg the uninformed masses

Yet you will not never ever hear them .. say anything like constitutional amendment, restructuring, or true federalism..

Who Dey think dem the deceive

Aketi is a mad noise maker .. a former NBA Chairman should know better


In Nigeria .. you can’t manipulate northern Nigeria with media noise and propaganda

Na for south ..

Detailed analysis
If there's anything like South or North in Nigeria
Then we must also recognize there is
NE
NC
NW
SE
SS
SW
Since democracy sw has benefited a lot in terms of power
But alas their politicians are way too greedy more than the north
If Sw were to be in advantage like the north believe me you there politicians won't leave the seat of power
Take Obj for example
A nobody they made president still get mind they seek for third tenure
If truly there is Justice in Nigeria the presidency should be between SE,NE and NC

Akeredolu that herdsmen had audacity to attack his convoy on Ilesha-Akure Road. When herdsmen killed Fasoranti's daughter, Tinubu was asking for cows, but when they were arrested BAT kept mute

Why should he when he's also Governor with Christian-Christian ticket.


Meanwhile, kindly lend your words on this thread. Nigerian students deserves compensation
https://www.nairaland.com/7288864/ASUU-strike-ASUU-paid-nigerian#115843803

another1:
Same Akeredolu’s seem nothing wrong with Muslim Muslim ticket. That's hypocrisy

APCnaPDP:
Very very hollow especially considering that he doesn’t mind muslim-Muslim ticket.

A very incisive piece!

That's the same point all well-meaning Nigerians have been advocating all the while.
All the major parties should have featured Igbos as presidential candidates for 2023.
APC and PDP having refused to toe the path of justice and fairness by zoning the presidency to the South East have inadvertently killed whatever North-South "unwritten agreement" Akeredolu is latching onto here.

You are in no position to dictate to us who we should vote for, PO is nonentity in the north, his a noisemaker that is looking for attention

Here in north, it's either tinubu or atiku

Igbodicool:
Yoruba killed and buried the Southern Unity!

Let it be on record that it is either Obi/Datti or Atiku/Okowa until Igbo returns to their God's given sovereign land.

With the exit of the Igbo from the Lugard Nigeria's union, the north can rule the west forever.
What a greedy tribe!

ItsTutsi:
You are in no position to dictate to us who we should vote for, PO is nonentity in the north, his a noisemaker that is looking for attention

Here in north, it's either tinubu or atiku

Trash from a minority North claimant

I'm from sokoto state

OyeofIkoTuN:


Trash from a minority North claimant

ItsTutsi:
You are in no position to dictate to us who we should vote for, PO is nonentity in the north, his a noisemaker that is looking for attention

Here in north, it's either tinubu or atiku

You are indeed from the north.
Knowledge, comprehension and common sense is a rocket science to them.
Who is talking about voting OBI your nightmare here?
How is North in 2000 years to come better than Igbo?
How Has Buhari benefited you?
We are talking about the South and you jump in with your North nonsense as if you are not the ones suffering most in every regime since independence.

Let the north turn to Somalia! We rather vote shekrau of BH than PO.. we won't touch PO with a ten feet pole

Igbodicool:

You are indeed from the north.
Knowledge, comprehension and common sense is a rocket science to them.
Who is talking about voting OBI your nightmare here?
How is North in 2000 years to come better than Igbo?
How Has Buhari benefited you?
We are talking about the South and you jump in with your North nonsense as if you are not the ones suffering most in every regime since independence.

ItsTutsi:
I'm from sokoto state

minority I swear

Igbodicool:
Yoruba killed and buried the Southern Unity!

Let it be on record that it is either Obi/Datti or Atiku/Okowa until Igbo returns to their God's given sovereign land.

With the exit of the Igbo from the Lugard Nigeria's union, the north can rule the west forever.
What a greedy tribe!

Yes. A "greedy tribe" you parasitic, ideologically bankrupt and unprincipled clowns cannot stay away from.

At least 8 million Igbos in the SW and maximum 500k Yorubas in the SE and you even have the mouth to insult the Yorubas the whole world will agree are your benefactors you desperately need for your survival?

You guys should learn to shut your hateful mouths.

Nothing like south or north, every one has a right to contest

Akeredolu’s stance on power shift to the South is morally hollow. If he can’t apply the principles of equity, fairness and justice rightly, he should stop being sanctimonious on the issue.

Very very hollow especially considering that he doesn’t mind somebody ticket

slivertongue:
Akeredolu’s stance on power shift to the South is morally hollow. If he can’t apply the principles of equity, fairness and justice rightly, he should stop being sanctimonious on the issue.

Very hollow indeed, Lalasticlala

Dsalvo:


Yes. A "greedy tribe" you parasitic, ideologically bankrupt and unprincipled clowns cannot stay away from.

At least 8 million Igbos in the SW and maximum 500k Yorubas in the SE and you even have the mouth to insult the Yorubas the whole world will agree are your benefactors you desperately need for your survival?

You guys should learn to shut your hateful mouths.

How would your hatred allow you to live outside your territory?
Igbo are found everywhere around the world because of their loving character and acceptability of other people.
Can such be said about your people?
Will hatred allow them to leave their enclaves?
Greedy tribe of the fallen demon!

Akere... Is just dancing to the beat of Tinubu hoping to run the government with free hand when Tinubu wins in his dream. If power must come to the South, it should go South East; if not, let North East get it.
Tinubu and APC Western leaders are very greedy. After enjoying presidency for 16years, they want it again What level of greed!
The North is not foolish. They've seen the greed already.

Honjoshy4u:
Akere... Is just dancing to the beat of Tinubu hoping to run the government with free hand when Tinubu wins in his dream. If power must come to the South, it should go South East; if not, let North East get it.
Tinubu and APC Western leaders are very greedy. After enjoying presidency for 16years, they want it again What level of greed!
The North is not foolish. They've seen the greed already.

.
Obi or power remains in the north

Honjoshy4u:
Akere... Is just dancing to the beat of Tinubu hoping to run the government with free hand when Tinubu wins in his dream. If power must come to the South, it should go South East; if not, let North East get it.
Tinubu and APC Western leaders are very greedy. After enjoying presidency for 16years, they want it again What level of greed!
The North is not foolish. They've seen the greed already.

Another gibberish..

Which east? Didn't Azikiwe and Ironsi already have theirs? In fact, we've all agree that we're different. Let every region rule themselves. Every region was ruling themselves until your useless Ironsi and Azikiwe came in.. The amalgamation that bind Nigeria together ensure every region should rule themselves. You can't impose your failure on us.

Kagd10:



Another gibberish..

Which east? Didn't Azikiwe and Ironsi already have theirs? In fact, we've all agree that we're different. Let every region rule themselves. Every region was ruling themselves until your useless Ironsi and Azikiwe came in.. The amalgamation that bind Nigeria together ensure every region should rule themselves. You can't impose your failure on us.

Tinubu knows he is just wasting time and resources

iwaeda:


Tinubu knows he is just wasting time and resources

It's you who's actually wasting your time.

Amalgamation already expired. If we want to continue with it, either we return back to the setting that we had. Point is You can't impose your failure on us yet expect us to continue. Na ment?

The writer should not castigate akeredolu. How many igbo leaders have really proved themselves worthy of the position? Igbo leaders did not form a formidable front,hence the emergence of tinubu in apc. However,the obidiènt movement will right the wrong.

Kagd10:



Another gibberish..

Which east? Didn't Azikiwe and Ironsi already have theirs? In fact, we've all agree that we're different. Let every region rule themselves. Every region was ruling themselves until your useless Ironsi and Azikiwe came in.. The amalgamation that bind Nigeria together ensure every region should rule themselves. You can't impose your failure on us.

You see how myopic you are? You represent ethnic bigotry. God forbid.
I'm a Deltan, proud son of South-South. I made my comments because I believe in real equity and justice. I will never be like Akeredolu that is sentimental with his insensitive muslim-muslim devilish ticket calling for South West presidency.
I am a pusher of true federalism but won't support greedy Homo sapiens like you and Akeredolu

Honjoshy4u:



You see how myopic you are? You represent ethnic bigotry. God forbid.
I'm a Deltan, proud son of South-South. I made my comments because I believe in real equity and justice. I will never be like Akeredolu that is sentimental with his insensitive muslim-muslim devilish ticket calling for South West presidency.
I am a pusher of true federalism but won't support greedy Homo sapiens like you and Akeredolu

Who's a bigot if not you Peter Obi's miscreantsss? Lol. TBH, Yoruba have been so accommodating. If Yoruba was to pay back every tribe what they've got from others, Nigeria would be no more. That's the fact on ground!

Back to the issue on ground, Akeredolu had said anyone out of Tinubu or Obi will be justified because there's no justification for another Northerner coming in after an outgoing Northerner. But what did Peter Obi's miscreants say to this? To show that Peter Obi's miscreantsss are perpetual hatefilled people without appreciation. You're hatefilled without appreciation even when someone is supporting you. That's why I pity those who do such in the first place cos they will only receive hate in return. And Yeah, there have been Igbo president in the likes of Azikiwe and Ironsi who destroyed Nigeria by the way. So stop trying to play the victim as if there haven't been an Igbo President.

Meanwhile, amalgamation already expired like I stated. No one can impose their Failure on us. We need to get it right this time around or everyone should go to their tent. I repeat, you can't impose your failureeee on us.

Kagd10:


Who's a bigot if not you Peter Obi's miscreantsss? Lol. TBH, Yoruba have been so accommodating. If Yoruba was to pay back every tribe what they've got from others, Nigeria would be no more. That's the fact on ground!

Back to the issue on ground, Akeredolu had said anyone out of Tinubu or Obi will be justified because there's no justification for another Northerner coming in after an outgoing Northerner. But what did Peter Obi's miscreants say to this? To show that Peter Obi's miscreantsss are perpetual hatefilled people without appreciation. You're hatefilled without appreciation even when someone is supporting you. That's why I pity those who do such in the first place cos they will only receive hate in return. And Yeah, there have been Igbo president in the likes of Azikiwe and Ironsi who destroyed Nigeria by the way. So stop trying to play the victim as if there haven't been an Igbo President.

Meanwhile, amalgamation already expired like I stated. No one can impose their Failure on us. We need to get it right this time around or everyone should go to their tent. I repeat, you can't impose your failureeee on us.

I didn't read your rubbish immediately I saw Obi because I'm ATIKULATED for Okowa Na kowa. So keep supporting a man that plans to feed 50 million of your type with agbado and cassava.
The North will never abandon their son for a minority Kanuri VP and a greedy old bullion van theif.