2023: Power must shift to South – Zulum

Prof. Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, has once again joined the growing chorus of prominent Nigerians requesting that power be shifted to the south by 2023.

Zulum made the call yesterday in Abuja at the golden jubilee lecture and public book presentation titled: Strategic Turnaround by the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

Speaking on the topic: “Security and Economic Growth: Leadership in Challenging Times,” the governor said: “The issue of power rotation is a covenant between us hence the need to shift the power to the South.

“I have advocated for power to shift to the South and I will continue to do so. Nobody should say that I am saying this because I am looking for the position of vice president; I don’t have an interest. I don’t have an interest in becoming the president or the vice president now. Let the Southerners compete among themselves – be it South-South or South-east or South-west. “This is something we need to do,” he said.

He argued that a sense of belonging should be granted to every part of the country, and that the time has come for Nigeria to do the right thing.

Restructuring, state police, and devolution of authority, according to Zulum, would not solve Nigeria’s problems.

Only a comprehensive approach to the country’s security issues, he believes, will fix the country’s problems.

Zulum added: “There must be a clear demarcation between competency and loyalty and our leaders must be chosen based on performance.”

He added: “I would advocate as a starting point that good governance is the heart and soul of security and development. Bad governance will spread insecurity and destroy the possibility of development as trust is broken between the elected and the electorate.

“A weak system breeds corruption and in order to survive, people will try whatever means to circumvent due processes and over time this will lead to insecurity.

“The search for alternative means of survival that is not legal constitutes insecurity.”