Power rotation between North, South'll guarantee peace, development - Yakasai
Describes Governor Wike's position on power rotation as patriotic and well thought out
By Oloyede Emmanuel
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, a former Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to late former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, has said that rotation of power between the Northern and Southern Nigeria would promote peaceful coexistence, sense of belonging and political development.
Alhaji Yakasai said that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike's position on same was an endorsement of the principle of fairness as proposed by the founding fathers of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
He described the Rivers State Governor's position on power rotation as patriotic and well thought out, saying it should enjoy the support of peace-loving Nigerians.
"It was the North versus the South, but the political space has been extended to six geopolitical zones over time by exigencies of interests.
“We have to have a nation first before we talk about its spoils, and the first thing is about supporting the principle of fairness as guaranteed in power rotation formula.”
He traced the origin of power rotation to inherent lopsided natural arrangements of the southern part of the country, explaining that the southernern geopolitical zone was split by the trio of the Yorubas, the Igbos, and the South South minorities.
”The southern part is naturally divided into 3 groups, the Yorubas in the south west, the Igbos in the South East, and the other ethnic minorities that are found in the South South."
He said. "If you cede power to the south, it is for sure it will be very difficult for any of the ethnic minorities to taste it because the two dominant tribes in the south will always dwarf their ambition.
He noted that “unlike the north that is monolithic due largely to its social, cultural, religious, linguistic affiliations, the South is a (group of) nations within a nation that only power rotation can guarantee sense of belonging.
Alhaji Yakasai is of the opinion that the current geopolitical zone should be sustained in other to strengthen the unity in the country's diversity.
