Former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the concept of rotational presidency in Nigeria.
Appearing on the Tuesday edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Sowore said the focus should be on electing a competent leader capable of running the country effectively, regardless of regional background.
“If I have a good president in Nigeria, who can run this country very well, I don’t care where he comes from,” Sowore said.
“That is what the majority of the Nigerian people are aspiring for. That is the idea of this federation that all the federating units should be able to have an opportunity.
“When you zone it to the north, the majority of the northerners would want to take a shot at it. When you zone it back to the south, the south of Nigeria is not Yoruba or Igbo alone. It is just senseless.”
Sowore argued that all presidential aspirants should have the opportunity to contest, emphasizing that qualifications, manifestos, and character should be the determining factors—not geo-political zoning.
“Zoning the presidency to the worst character in the country is not going to make you get anywhere.
“Give everybody a chance. That is why they said, ‘Come and contest for president, governor, local government chairman, and present your agenda, speak to us, and we will look at your character, exposure, and vote for you’.”
The debate over rotational presidency has intensified, with many political stakeholders insisting the South should retain power after President Bola Tinubu, a Southerner from Lagos State, who won the 2023 general election, succeeded Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner from Katsina State, who served two terms.
While some believe the South still deserves another term, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner from Adamawa State, has expressed interest in the 2027 presidential race and continues to push for an opposition coalition to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC).