BREAKING: Northern Govs Reject Rotational Presidency, Say It Is Unconstitutional

Against the backdrop of the clamour for the presidency to return to the South in 2023, governors of the 19 northern states have declared that the idea of rotational presidency is unconstitutional.

This was contained in a communique read by Plateau State Governor and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong, at the end of an emergency meeting of the forum in Kaduna on Monday.

Lalong said that although some northern governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three geo-political zones in the South, with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation, the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the presidency must go to the South is unacceptable.

He said “The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall secure at least 25 percent of the votes cast in 2/3 states of the federation. In the case of run-up simple majority win the election.”

Recall that the Southern Governors’ Forum at its meeting of Thursday, September 16, 2021, held that the next president of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.