The North can also produce the next president in 2023

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has joined in the conversation on power zoning in 2023.

Lawal stated that zoning should not come into play when electing a president in 2023 to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lawal expressed this view in an interview Daily Sun newspapers. He noted that every section of Nigeria has qualified candidates to contest the 2023 Presidential election. In his words:

I am a democrat and I believe every part of Nigeria has qualified candidates for the presidency. Every part of Nigeria!

Indeed, I don’t see why the… even if it is in the north, if we say the northwest has produced a presidential candidate, the southwest had produced one, I don’t see why the north-central can- not produce or the northeast cannot produce just as south-south, southeast, southwest and even northwest can still produce.

The constitution doesn’t say it is prohibited. And as I said, I believe every zone, every state, has capable people that can run this country effectively.

When queried if by his comments, there is no hope for the southerners in 2023, Lawal said:

When I said every area can produce a president, where do you get this conclusion? I just said every part of Nigeria can produce a president, a competent one. I know so many. “Being a cosmopolitan man, I know Igbos not less than ten that can successfully run this country; I know Yorubas that can do, I know Ijaws that can do, I know Hausas that can do, I know even Kilba. Hey myself, my friend, I can be president of this country.

I consider myself quite competent to do so from a small tribe of 300,000 people. There are so many such tribes that can produce good, competent leaders all over Nigeria.