Former Senator Shehu Sani
A former Senator, Shehu Sani, has emphasized the importance of rotating the presidency between the north and south to maintain Nigeria’s unity.
Sani made this assertion in a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
“We are a country of experience… If you look at the multi-ethnic/religious nations such as ours, people feel more comfortable when they see someone from their part of the country in power,” Sani said.
He stressed that the rotational arrangement gives every part of the country a sense of belonging and prevents any region from using its demographic or geographical advantage to remain in power perpetually.
Sani noted that while rotational presidency has its benefits, it does not guarantee that the problems of a particular region will be solved.
“Former President Muhammadu Buhari was seen by the northerners as a magician and a miracle worker who would solve all the problems of northern Nigeria; he came, saw and left the problems as they were,” he said.
Sani also highlighted the need for collective problem-solving, particularly in addressing the recurring violence between farmers and herders in states like Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa.
“It is time for the political leaders in these parts of the country to sit down and address the problem, to secure both the people and the country,” he said.
Sani emphasized the importance of finding new solutions to contemporary problems, rather than relying on outdated approaches.
“It would be wrong to use the solutions to problems in the 20th century to solve problems of the 21st century,” he said.
