By Ummi Ismaeel,
Minna
The immediate past Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mallam Mamman Daura, may be right by rejecting rotational Presidency ahead of the 2023 general election.
He also suggested that the best for the country was to allow Nigerian electorates decide on the issue.
Daura had in an interview with BBC (Hausa Service) dismissed zoning and rotational presidency as he argued that competence, not geography should determine the next President of Nigeria in 2023.
The elder statesman further told the BBC Hausa Service: “This turn-by-turn; it was done once, it was done twice, and it was done thrice… it is better for this country to be one…it should be for the most competent and not for someone who comes from somewhere”.
But former Governor Aliyu, while reacting to the comments at the weekend, said that there were indices that might have given rise to Daura’s position.
Such indices, according to Aliyu include; Whether or not the rotational presidency has answered the many questions Nigerians are eager to have answers to, promoted the much expected unity among the over 250 ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and more.
“Many Nigerians today are still routing for regional government against current Presidential system of government though with some defaults and vice versa.
“Mamman Daura’s comment was just a suggestion for a way out after over 20 years experiment of a system that can best suit our purpose in Nigeria”, Aliyu said.
Aliyu added that he believed that Daura should not be crucified.
“In the process of this zoning or rotational thing have we achieved desired results? Are we not just producing a northern President, a southern President or possibly a South-East President just for the sake of it to satisfy the arrangement without necessarily asking ourselves if the generality of Nigerians benefit from it or that few people for what they get from it?” he said.