Alhaji Mohammed Kabir, the Secretary of a leading Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, based in Kano, the Arewa Positive Thinking, APT, has bared his mind on the 2023 presidency.
Mohammed Kabir, who was the former national chairman of the defunct Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN), spoke in an interview with TheSun. According to him, for peace and equity to reign, the people of South-East, Nigeria should be given the opportunity and full support to replace President Buhari come 2023.
He said…
“I think the Igbo should be allowed and supported, no matter their problems, no matter their perceived profiles, no matter the conceptions about them, or what you think of them, we should allow them to rule, because they have suffered.
“The Igbo have suffered in this country. They have learnt very difficult lessons and I believe they have mellowed down and accepted their fate somehow and have agreed to continue in this journey. I think this time around, we should allow them. If we allow them and see that they have not changed; that the same things people think about them have not changed, we can use the same ballot box to remove them and bring people that cannot alter our unity.
“They are Nigerians and we should give them that chance. They are the only ones who have not tasted power in the country and we have not seen what they can do and what they cannot do. So, we should just allow them to rule.
“They are Nigerians just like the rest of us. They have the political and birth rights to vote and be voted for and to participate in every political process, so that there will be equity and justice. Many people may have complained about them, but we should not allow it to be eternal.
“We should allow them to assume political power so that we can arrive at a long lasting peace and checks and balance, said Mohammed Kabir.
Speaking on zoning formula which Nigeria has been practising when it comes for presidency, Kabir said; “Having used it (zoning formula) then to placate the Southwest who felt wronged over the Abiola or June 12 brouhaha, do we now think that there are no more delicate issues or groups to be placated?
Also, according to him, “To make Nigeria greater and reduce tension in the land, we have to look at all those types of arrangements.
“For example, it is too premature to say we have to do away with the issue of zoning formula. We should expect to do a proper review and ask, ‘how did we have 20 years of democracy in Nigeria without interruptions?’ Our sincere answer to this question will then compel us to adopt whatever systems or models that have made it possible.
“This zoning formula or rotational presidency that we adopted, we should continue with it. This is the first time in our history that we had interrupted democracy for almost 20 years, despite our differences. This is important for the survival of this nation.
“I think that those who are beginning to suggest that zoning formula has no place in their party or in the country are wallowing in self-delusion. It is imperative that we allow Nigeria to remain a solid country. We cannot just jump out of an arrangement that is working because of selfishness, greed and irredentism.
“One zone will not continue to rule and other people will just keep quiet and allow them to have a smooth sail. It can’t happen.
