Re (South - North Rotation Even Before Independence): [NIgerianWorldForum] 2011: Nigeria May Break Up If Jonathan Contests - PDP Elder

Fubara and All:

You are right these "North this", "North that" and “Nigeria May Break Up” nonsense is uncalled for. Who is this faceless “North” by the way? The Current President has the right to head Nigerian governing coalition till the year 2019. Whether we like it or not, the empirical evidence shows that the headship of Nigeria has been rotating between the North and the South even before independence.

First it was Zik, no matter what he was called or how ceremonial his headship of Nigeria was; he was from the South and was the head of Nigeria. Then by whatever means and length of time, it rotated to the North in the person of Balewa. From Balewa, it came back to the South through Ironsi again no matter the means which clearly did not justify the end, but it was rotation.

From Ironsi in the South, power went back to Gowon in the North and that was when the North became greedy and kept it with two people - Mohamed and Gowon and then it came back to the South through Obasanjo's first coming.

Obasanjo (in his first coming) kept fate with the rotation and handed it over to the North through Shagari even though many people thought it should have gone to the South via Zik or Awo - but it rotated back to the North.

During Shagari, the North got greedy again and kept it with three other people - Buhari, Babaginda, and Abacha. Then it went back to the South in the person of Shoneken (no matter how short – it seems as long as rotation goes, the length of time the leader is in office is not the issue). From Shoneken, it went back to the North through Abubakar.

From the Northern Abubakar, it rotated back to the South through Obasanjo's second coming. But no matter how we call it or see it, there has always been rotation between the South and the North – through individual leaders, good, bad or terrible.

So after the second coming of Obasanjo, he gave it back to the North in the person of Yardua and we all know how that went. Now, God Almighty has rotated the power back to the South, South-South/Niger Delta for that matter. President Jonathan must keep it to the maximum term unless God says otherwise – through the voice of the Nigerian people (not just the “North” or one party).

Right now, Jonathan is completing Yardu'as term. He begins his own term in 2011 and must be supported to keep it for the two terms allowed by the constitution as Obasanjo did. President Jonathan must contest again in 2015 and keep the power till 2019. At that time, the South can decide to copy the greedy behavior from the North and keep it as long as possible or give it back to the North.

But if for some reason President Jonathan chooses not to finish his God given 10 years or fails to perform, another person from the South can take it earlier or it can be given back to the North as the rotation continues. The North does not have monopoly of retaining the power when they have it. The South can also do that as long as qualified people are able to run - but what qualification does one need to be a president other than what is stipulated in the constitution?

So my brothers and sisters from Nigeria (North and South) what is fair is fair. It is President Jonathan's choice if he wants to head Nigerian governance till the constitutionaly allowed term limit - the year 2019. All we can do as a people is to support him and demand that he:

Perform and deliver dividend of democracy equitably.

Focus on the People.
Transform and transcend Party weaknesses.
Accept the Position (presidency) till 2019.
Share Power equitably and in the fear of God.
Actualize the right Politics in Nigeria.
Implement Policies for sustainable development.
Bring Progress to Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

I call these the eight Ps of governance (Performance, People, Party, Position, Power, Politics, Policies, and Progress). This type of governance is what we need and if President Jonathan can deliver it by 2019, he would have done much more than what all of the Northern leaders put together could not do.

Peace and Blessings!

Victor Udo