Yahaya Bello

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, has reacted to comments by Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Gov. Yahaya Bello’s assertion about rotation of Nigerian presidency among the different regions of the country.

Bello had during a maiden edition of the ‘Governor Yahaya Bello seminar for political and crime correspondents’ in Abuja on Friday, described rotational Presidency as “unconstitutional.”

The Governor, who has also declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2023 added that “Nigerians should be allowed to make their choices for the best candidate to emerge for the top post”.

But reacting to the claim, Ohanaeze Ndigbo which has been at the vanguard of the clamour that a Nigerian of South -East origin should succeed President Muhammadu Buhari disagree with the Governor.

The group said Governor Bello’s ignorance about the issue was due to the fact that he was still a university student when the issue of rotational presidency was agreed on among Nigerians.

Ohanaeze, in the statement on Monday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, slammed Governor Bello, saying that he had demonstrated a remarkable obsession with ambition shortly after providence paved way for him to be sworn in as a governor in 2015 at an impressionable age of 40.

But while also dismissing the claims by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Fanwo supported his boss, insisting that rotation of presidency was not recognised in Nigeria’s constitution.

Fanwo said : “We have practiced rotation, but what have we to show for it as a nation? Who remembers where a good President comes from?

“The South-East can bring forward their best to contest the election. What the nation needs now is the best for the job.

“Our constitution doesn’t respect rotational presidency. It was the convenience of the political class.

“The governor didn’t dispute such unwritten agreement. But he is faulting it. We need a young, vibrant and pragmatic President come 2023.

“We need a man who will be at home with everyone from everywhere.

“The agreement made while he was in school over 20 years ago must not necessarily be in force forever, especially when it has not taken our nation to where we want to be as the true giant of Africa.

“We need a new one for a generation that wants to see Nigeria prosper.

“Governor Yahaya Bello is working with an Anambra man as Director-General, Research and Development; a Borno man as his Special Adviser on Public Relations and a Lagos man as his Special Adviser on Legal Matters.

“Nigeria will never be great as long as we think our greatness is in the shell of ethnic competition. Let the best emerge in 2023.”