Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a prominent member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has explained why the uncertainty surrounding the transfer of power between Northern and Southern Nigeria was brought about by the passing of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
In an interview with Arise Television on Monday, Kwankwaso made this claim in support of the NDC’s choice to target the South with its 2027 presidential ticket.
He maintains that the best approach to settle ongoing political disputes over regional power sharing is to zone the presidency to the South.
“We believe the best way to go now is to take it to the South so that we can eliminate the confusion that emanated from the death of our brother and friend, Umar Musa Yar’Adua. That actually introduced the confusion into the system” he said.
“One can argue that from 1999 to date, the South has done more years than the North. But it depends on how it suits you. What is key now is not presidency from the North or from the South. What is key is to have quality leadership, people who are enthusiastic, determined and committed to give the country the leadership it deserves”, he added.
The aspiring candidate of the NDC thus claimed that proponents of Southern zoning think President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now holding office for the first time under the current political system. However, in the spirit of unity, Kwankwaso disclosed that northern politicians who had just joined the NDC accepted the zoning arrangement without protest.
Kwankwaso admitted that people’s perceptions of the zoning structure frequently relied on their political agendas and the number of years each area had been in office.
President Musa Yar’Adua
ENigeria Newspaper recalled that after a protracted illness, Yar’Adua, who was elected president in 2007, passed away in office in 2010. Goodluck Jonathan, a Southern deputy, took over as president and went on to win the 2011 election.
Prior to becoming president, Yar’Adua held the position of Minister of Lagos Affairs during Nigeria’s First Republic. In 1963, Lagos Island and the capital territory were designated as the city of Lagos. Prior to entering politics, Yar’Adua worked for fourteen years as a school teacher and subsequently held administrative positions in the Katsina Native Authority. When Lagos Island and its capital territory became the city of Lagos in 1963, Yar’Adua served as minister. He spent fourteen years as a school teacher before going into politics, and he later held administrative posts with the Katsina Native Authority.
Kwankwaso ahead of 2027 elections
Rabiu Kwankwaso is set to contest as the vice-presidential candidate alongside former presidential candidate Peter Obi under the National Democratic Party (NDC), after the duo’s defection from the African Democratic Party (ADC).
The former Kano governor also contested in 2023 as a presidential candidate under the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), cosolidating on the followership of the Kwankwasiyyah populace.
