Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, has urged the North to respect the principle of power rotation in Nigeria. During a courtesy visit to Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, Yari emphasized that the region's numerical strength should not be the basis for insisting on retaining the presidency. He stressed that Nigeria belongs to all its citizens and warned against reducing the contest for the presidency to a struggle between the North and South.
Yari, a former Zamfara State governor, explained that the North has enjoyed considerable periods of political leadership since independence and should understand the need to accommodate other regions in the interest of fairness and stability. He said Nigerians, particularly those in the North, should not assume that having a larger population automatically entitles the region to the presidency. Yari argued that political power in a diverse federation requires compromise and mutual accommodation.
Yari emphasized that national unity must remain the overriding consideration in any political permutations. He urged Northerners to understand that leadership of the country is a shared responsibility and not the exclusive preserve of any geographical bloc. Yari maintained that the country can only achieve sustainable political stability if its different regions are given a sense of belonging.
The APC campaign council chief also cautioned against judging governments solely through political narratives. He said every administration has its strengths and shortcomings and urged Nigerians to examine economic and other measurable indicators when assessing the performance of the present administration. Yari asked Nigerians to compare the state of the country's economy and foreign reserves at the beginning of the Tinubu administration with the situation today.
Yari defended the government's record, saying such indices should form part of the national conversation. He appealed to Northerners to support peace and national development rather than allowing regional political interests to deepen divisions. Yari stressed that Nigeria's challenges in security and the economy require collective efforts from all parts of the country.
Yari's call for power rotation between the North and South is seen as a way to strengthen national cohesion. He said the rotation of power can help to give different regions a sense of belonging and promote sustainable political stability. Yari's statement has sparked a national conversation on the need for fairness and mutual accommodation in the distribution of political power.
The issue of power rotation has been a contentious topic in Nigerian politics. Yari's statement is a reminder that Nigeria's diversity is a strength that should be celebrated and not a weakness that should be exploited. As the country continues to navigate its complex political landscape, Yari's call for power rotation and national unity is a timely reminder of the need for Nigerians to work together.
Key points
- Yari urges North to respect power rotation principle
- Power rotation can help strengthen national cohesion
- National unity must remain the overriding consideration in political permutations
