December 29, (THEWILL) – Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari has thrown his weight behind calls for a southern president come 2023.
Masari, who spoke on Tuesday during a media chat at the Government House in Katsina, said this will strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and federalism.
The hovernor said the issue of power rotation is not constitutional, but in the spirit of fairness, the southern region should be allowed to produce the next president in 2023.
“I am a member of the Northern Governors’ Forum. Let me make my position very clear. This constitution is made for us, and not that we are made for the constitution. The constitution does not say we must shift power, but if you shift, have you violated any part of the constitution?
“From my personal opinion as Aminu Bello Masari, until such a time when we have stable polity, I think rotation or shifting power from time to time will help consolidate our federalism,” the governor said.
Masari said shifting power to the south does not in any way violate the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as declared by the chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum after a meeting of the governors in Kaduna on 27 September 2021.
The Katsina governor said he would continue to advocate for rotation of power in the country until Nigerian politics is out of the murky waters.
“I still believe as a principle not as a law that until such a time when we have a stable politics, I think rotation or shifting power from time to time will help to consolidate our federation. I support it. So, I still maintain my stand.
“This is my personal opinion as a person which I think that the constitution you have mentioned has given me the right to make that comment. That’s why I said in my capacity as Aminu Bello Masari,” he added.
Masari also recalled that way back in the 1990s as a member of the constitutional conference and transition committee, “the initial recommendation of our committee was that each zone would be given the opportunity of five years to lead through the instrumentality of the National Assembly.
“But that was the recommendation of the transition committee. Even though, after that, a lot of things happened before coming to the floor. All that has become part of history but I have the records. I know what happened.
“So, I think the fact of the matter is that we have to understand that the constitution is made to guide us and there are certain positions, by taking them, you are not compromising the constitution, nor are you breaking the law. So my position remains the same. I do believe in the power shift,,” he added.
On why local government elections have not been held in Katsina, Governor Masari blamed the opposition parties for constituting legal roadblocks to the exercise.
He stated however that the election is expected to hold next year as more than seventy percent of what is needed is already in place.
“The opposition knew from day one that they have been trying to sabotage the election and one good way to do that is through litigation. We have been to the state’s high court, the federal high court and up to the supreme court not once, and not twice,” he said.
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