El-Rufai lends voice to Southern President in 2023

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Nwolu Obiajulu

Obiajulu Nwolu is an established writer at africannewstoday.com. He is passionate about African affairs. He loves writing about interesting facts relating to the African continent and enjoys sharing his knowledge with others.

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Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai has said he supports the call for a southern president come 2023.

He disclosed this in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Saturday as published by The Cable.

El-Rufai said the idea of zoning the presidential seat may not have constitutional backing but borne out of the country’s agreed political arrangement which he believes should not be disregarded.

The governor said, “In Nigerian politics, there is a system of rotation, in which everyone agrees that if the north rules for eight years, the south will rule for eight years.”

“That is why I came out and said that after President Buhari has been in office for eight years, no northerner should run for office. Let the Southerners also have eight years.

“If you look at how I am, I don’t take anyone to work with me for the zone he came from. The eligibility I look at is if who is entrusted to the public will hold it properly.

According to him, it was unfounded for any individual to speculate he has interest to contest for the presidential seat in 2023, clarifying that he has zero interest in the position.

“It has been said that I have loved the presidency since I was a minister in the FCT. This is nonsense. I do not want the Nigerian presidency. God gives power, whether you like it or not, if he wants it, He will give it to you, but I have never sought the presidency of Nigeria, no one can say I have ever sought it.”

President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura had earlier generated criticisms from interest groups for his comment against zoning the presidency in Nigeria.