By Ezeocha Nzeh
Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu, has commended Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El’Rufai for what he described as his honourably and patriotic all position and joining the advocacy for the continuation of the rotation convention which midwifed the 4th Republic Nigeria.
Governor El’Rufai had in an interview, advocated the continuation of rotational presidency as it exists between the Northern and Southern zones of the country
He emphasised that it would be unfair for the North to attempt to aspire for the presidency after the end of 8 years of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, stating that the South should be given the opportunity to produce the next president that would succeed President Buhari in 2023
Okechukwu, who is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while reacting to the Kaduna state governor’s position, stated, “Am impressed when I read in one of the national newspapers, Malam Nasir Elrufia’s support for the continuation of the rotation convention which midwifed our 4th Republic and no doubt cemented equity, natural justice and good conscience. I sincerely commend and thank him immensely.” Okechukwu quipped.
El’Rufai had in the said interview noted that the general political consensus in Nigeria is that the presidency should rotate between the North and South.
“It is not written but everyone understands it. In some of the parties, like the PDP, it is even written down in their constitution but it was breached in 2015. I think that every politician of honour should understand and abide by that consensus except there is an extenuating circumstance compelling it to be set aside. What could this be?”
According to Okechukwu, “To me this is a patriotic statement from one of the most qualified northerner, who ordinarily could have placed personal interest above the equity, natural justice and good conscience, which the rotation convention engenders. His selfless stance is why one commends him for his uncommon patriotism. Malam El’Rufai no doubt is eminently qualified as one of the most performing governors in this dispensation.”
When reminded that El’ rufia was not specific on the part of south the rotation should go to,
Okechukwu said, “the most important thing is that Malam Elrufia as a major political actor, foremost northerner, foundation member of the APC, and a Buharist, joining the agitation for continuation of the rotation convention of presidency from north to south is a vital plus, plus.
“All we of the southeast is adding is that we deserve the Falae/Obasanjo model, where the two main candidates should come from the two dominant political parties -APC and PDP.
“For in the southern belt, Ndigbo or the southeast in particular is the only geopolitical zone which has not presided over over Nigeria since the advent of the rotation convention. All equity and good conscience perspective agree that it’s the turn of Ndigbo.”
On the contrary position of some prominent Northern politicians like Isa Funtua that Ndigbo are not in the mainstream and are agitating for secession, and therefore should not count themselves when the issue of president is being discussed, the VON DG noted, “the southeast or Ndigbo are core foundation members of both the APC and PDP, so nobody should use that as an excuse. We are uncountable in all the political parties and have eminent members. Otherwise how many Yorubas voted for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo In 1999?
“On the issue of agitation for secession, God knows that the agitators are the fringe elements of the southeast mainstream. The main question is which ethnic group invests in other geopolitical zones more than Ndigbo? None, we live and invest in all the nooks and crannies of our dear country. We are true patriots and deserve all the laurels due to us. Nigeria president of Igbo extraction will signal the end of the civil war.”
