Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District, Senator Abba Moro says those agitating for power to shift to the South in 2023 will soon realise that the presidency in itself confers no extra advantage on the president’s region.
Moro, who is a former Interior Minister, stated this in an interview with Sunday Sun.
He said, “I can say that contrary to the impression that people have of the occupation of the presidency conferring any undue advantage, I ask my friends and my brothers from the North, what has the eight years of General Buhari’s administration, what extra advantage has the eight years of General Buhari administration given to the North? Is it the roads? Our roads are as bad as those in the South. Is it the educational institutions?
“The situation is the same. Is it the hospitals? What outstanding hospital in the North can you cite now as the reason we should continue to clinch to power for the sake of advantages? Are all of us not still going to London, going to America, going to Dubai, going to India for medical treatments?
“Is the North having more outlets for drinkable water than the South? What is the big deal about clinching to power for the sake of it?”
However, Moro backed rotational presidency, adding that the South deserved to produce the president at the expiration of President Buhari’s second term in 2023.
He said it would be against the laws of equity for the North to retain power beyond 2023.
Moro said, “Those people who are saying it doesn’t matter that it (presidency) could go to anywhere are not just being fair to Nigerians.
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“Whether you like it or not, Nigeria stands on two legs – the North and the South. And so because of lack of understanding of ourselves and the fragile political democracy that we have now and the sensibilities of the people and how sensitive people are as to who occupies what position, it can only be fair that after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration power should shift to the South.
“Somebody from the South should become the president of this country in 2023. That is my take. And I predicate it on the fact that when Yar’Adua died, President Jonathan took over, completed Yar’Adua’s tenure, went for his own tenure coming to the South-south and completed his tenure. All arguments to the effect that he only completed Yar’Adua’s term in the first term and, therefore, should be given his own rightful second term fell on deaf ears and everybody said no, no, it can’t happen. It has to go to the North.
“Power has gone to the North and the North has had it for eight years or is going to have it by 2023 for eight years. And then some people are saying the North should still produce the next president. That is unfair. That is unjust. That is not in tandem with the law of equity.
“And so, I think that the next president should come from the South.”