By Abiola Olawale (The New Diplomat’s Southwest Bureau)
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, Thursday, advocated for a power shift to Southern Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election.
Governor Zulum stated this while delivering a lecture on security and economic growth at a book launch authored by Dakuku Peterside, former Director-General of NIMASA, with the title “Strategic Turnaround”.
According to him, by 2023, the North would have enjoyed the 8 years in power through President Muhammadu Buhari, therefore the power should be rotated to the South.
Zulum’s advocacy is coming after Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State, 2023’s ambition has been headlining the news. Although it is not clear yet if he is directly supporting the presidential ambition of Tinubu.
Speaking at the book launch, Zulum urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to heed his advice and fulfil their part of the bargain by electing a Southern flagbearer to represent the party in the 2023 presidential election.
Similarly, the governor also weighed in on the insecurity challenges rocking the country. According to him, Nigerians should hold the Peoples Democratic Party responsible for the present insecurity challenges the country is facing, stating that the PDP handled the Boko Haram insurgency poorly, in the early years, which gave room for them to grow in number and confidence.
He also added that the mistake Nigeria made that has led to the banditry in the country is ignoring poor countries around us.
In his words, “if Nigeria had emulated some European countries and empowered their poorer neighbours the situation would have been mitigated”.
However, the governor, called for a strategic leadership and social re-orientation to end the insecurity in the country, stating that military interventions alone cannot end insecurity in Nigeria.
