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Akume insists on Northern Presidency in 2007
TO ensure a smooth political transition in 2007, Nigerians must support a power shift to the North, Benue State Governor, George Akume, has said.
Akume, who spoke at the weekend in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital during this year's alumni lecture of the University of Ibadan (UI), said the rotation became necessary to create confidence in the power-sharing arrangement introduced in the nation's political system in 1999.
In his paper entitle "Political Scepticism as Impediment to the Sustenance of Nigerian Democracy: The View of a Sociologist in Politics," the governor said to remove the confusion surrounding the transition of power in the next general elections, political parties must agree to support rotational presidency, which must be in favour of the North in the next dispensation.
"I say this because after our election, the Northern governors were told to support power shift to the South, which we did in the understanding that in due course it would again be the turn of the North. This explains why in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the presidential candidates from the North were prevailed upon to step down in favour of President Olusegun Obasanjo's re-election and those who insisted were rejected during the process of nomination," he said.
To remove the confusion surrounding the transition of power in 2007, Akume suggested that the matter be thrown open in 2005.
His words: "Scepticism about 2007 is growing because, for whatever reasons, a culture of silence has been imposed on this one subject that should be of great interest to the political parties, politicians and the Nigerian society.
"For sure, the year 2007 is of political significance to the nation because it would determine whether our democracy has become entrenched well enough to ensure a smooth civilian to civilian transition of power. It will also give a clear indication as to whether we have learnt from our past mistakes and corrected them."
He blamed the military for the problem of political scepticism in the country, and accused politicians and the electorate of contributing to the problem.
"Many political careers and ambitions have been destroyed by military interventions leading to frustration and scepticism. It is not only the political class that has been negatively influenced by military intervention in politics but Nigerians in general have been made to develop a sense of apathy to the system of government under which they are governed," he said.
In order to overcome the problem of scepticism and other related issues in politics, Akume stressed the need for re-orientation of the military, institutionalisation of good governance as well as the sensitisation of civil society to reject military intervention.
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