Permit me to add my voice on one of the resolutions of South Nigerian governors’ forum in their communique which arose from their meeting of 5th July, 2021, held in Lagos. The forum which is made up of 17 governors from APC, PDP and APGA resolved that the next president of Nigeria should come from South Nigerian.
To start with, the cadinal objective of democracy is to better the lot of the people by delivering democratic dividends. A true dividend of democracy can only be attained through leaders who are elected based on their competency, patriotism, honesty, commitment and result orientation and not based of their ethnic or regional and or religious considerations.
Permit me to correct a “misconception” on the concept of “majority” in democracy . The true meaning of the concept is not about “ones” ethnic or religious or regional “strength”and or population, but it is about the ability of a candidate to convince “majority”of the electorate to vote for him based on his manifestos and or programmes irrespective of his background.
An ideal democracy presupposes that a politician from a minority ethnic group or region and or religion will constitute a majority in a democratic contest if he or she has the ability to win majority vote casts in an election. On the other hand, a politician from a major ethnic group or region and or religion could be in minority if he or she lacks the ability to convince electorate in a democratic contest.
Democracy presupposes leaders to be elected based on their political ideologies or manifestos and or programmes and not their religion or region and or ethnic group. In a democratic setting, power is “gotten” through “belonging” to the political process not just being”given”. Nigerian politicians must possess the ability to build electoral consensus around themselves irrespective of their religion or ethnic group and or region.
Democracy does not require rotation or zoning. Anybody who wants to govern from whatever ethnic group or region must be free to do so by “belonging” to the political process. To acquire power is to “belong” to the political process through political participation.
Nigeria as a multi ethnic country does not need a president for the Yorubas or Igbos or Hausas or Kanuris or Ijaws and or Ibibios , but a president for all Nigerians anchored on justice and fairness. As a multi religious country we do not need a president for the muslims or christains or animists and or traditionalists, but a president for all Nigerians.
Nigeria as country doesn’t work for the greater majority of its people, but only works for the few. The country needs surgical operation to enable its works for all. Hardly any ethnic group or region or religious group is comfortable with the state of affairs. All hands must be on deck towards making our country a better place for all Nigerians irrespective of our religion or ethnic group and or region.
No ethnic group or region or religion in the federation is in an Island of milk and honey or bread and butter. We are all in its together! Socio-economic challenges are everywhere. Let’s have a consensus on leaders who are competent, patriotic , honest and result oriented irrespective of their religion, ethnic group and region.
The president our country needs come 2023 should be a competent ,honest patriotic, and a nationalistic Nigerian.
May God bless Nigeria!
