WHY NOT NORTHEAST?
Ordinarily, in the atmosphere of sanity and sophistry, the proper or expected order of event should be a clamour for the rest of us to be led or governed by the best of us and how to ensure such is achieved. On the contrary, we have promoted self-centred primordial reasons for determining who can and who cannot vie for the office of the President of the most populous black nation. A lot of literate, well lettered and respected individuals are seen to have operated below par in public discussions because of the delusion of “we can blackmail everyone to give us what we desired”.
To start with if there is a marginalized region in Nigeria it is the North East and North the South East. Hence if marginalization and exclusion/omission from power is the basis of the current grand standings, then of the six geo-political zones the North East should be given the first slot.
Whereas it is considered sane and novel by some to call for the compensation or rehabilitation of yet to be determined victims/collateral damages of the unfortunate and needless civil war, no one is talking about justice for the victims of the January 15, 1966 coup. Unarguably, elements of southern extractions dominated by indigenous south easterners masterminded and executed the Coup that ended the Balewa’s administration and terminated his life and that of many others including Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh and many senior military officers.
The powers and authority available to the president in the post-Jan 1966 coup till date was not there when Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the primus inter pares, or “first among equals”. In the history of our unitary strong centre governed Nigeria from 1966 to date, the highest the North East ever attain was Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Vice President and now Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan PhD as Senate President.
The Northcentral is yet to produce the president or vice by-election but they have produced three military presidents/heads of states with 18 years of holding the sway, one number 2 citizen (military) and not less than 4 senate presidents with 14 years cumulative reign.
The Northwest held sway in six regimes 3 military and 3 civilians with a cumulative rule of about 21 years thus far, also producing 2 second in command one military and one civilian but are yet to produce any Senate President from independence till date.
The South West had being in charge trice 1 military, 1 interim and 1 civil the cumulative years being about 12 years, four times second in command 3 military and 1 civilian and are yet to produce a senate president till date.
The South-South so far held sway at the very top only once, but have occupied the number 2 seat four times 3 military and one civilian and produced 2 senate presidents.
The South-East has produced only 1 head of state, 1 president (Governor general), 2 second in command one military and 1 civilian and a total of 7 senate presidents in 12 cumulative years.
From the foregoing the only region yet to produce a president since the military intervention of January 1966 in the North East, hence if those calling for zoning are sincere about equity and justice, the call should be to rotate starting with the most deprived region which is clearly the North East.
I am not a proponent of rotational presidency but a strong supporter of conservative radicalism which proposes separating the truth from the facts at all times, bearing in mind that truth is timeless and always timely when applied.
Ben Agunloye
Abuja
