I am partly Fulani and I am the proud holder of a prestigious and powerful traditional title from the heart of the Caliphate which I am very proud of.
Apart from that I have lived in the North for the last 20 years and I consider it to be my home.
For those that still cannot comprehend the importance of a power shift to the South consider the following.
Every single democratically elected leader from the North since 1960, except for Sir Tafawa Balewa, has been a Fulani.
They are President Shehu Shagari, President Umaru Yaradua and President Muhammadu Buhari.
And it is a historical fact and common knowledge that Sir Tafawa Balewa, as Prime Minister from 1960 till 1966, though not a Fulani himself, took his directives and orders from the reverred and much-loved Saurdana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who was Premier of the North and who was a Fulani.
Given all this, it is painfully absurd for anyone to suggest that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another Fulani, should take power and succeed President Buhari, who is also Fulani, in the coming election.
Such a suggestion is uncioble, unacceptable, inequitable, unjust and darn right dangerous simply because it would confirm the misguided, erroneous and insulting notion that Nigeria has a master race who are born to rule.
It would also affect our national unity and take us back to the ugly and unpleasant days of separatist agitation, deep suspicion and tribal tension.
This is why all the Fulani leaders and politicians and their indeed Northerners generally that either support or are members of the APC, together with ALL the Northern APC Governors, have opted to honor an earlier agreement and their word by insisting that power shifts to the South in our upcoming presidential election and specifically to our party‘s candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
I have no doubt that the North will stand firmly behind BAT because Northerners, generally speaking, are men and women of honor.
Once they give their word they honor it. All fears of a pending betrayal by the North are unfounded regardless of how much our collective enemies wish or say it.
The North will hold the line and stand firmly with Tinubu.
Their faith also compels them to do the right and proper thing and constrains them to seek fairness, justice and equity.
And seeking fairness, justice and equity in this context means nothing less than a shift of power to the South after 8 years of a Northern Buhari Presidency.
APC has done the right thing by fielding and Bola Tinubu and by standing by him and I am not only very proud of them but I also consider it an honor to be in their ranks.
History will be kind to the Northerners of APC particularly for making this monumental sacrifice and relinquishing power to the South in order to ensure I am partly Fulani and I am the proud holder of a prestigious and powerful traditional title from the heart of the Caliphate which I am very proud of.
Apart from that I have lived in the North for the last 20 years and I consider it to be my home.
For those that still cannot comprehend the importance of a power shift to the South consider the following.
Every single democratically elected leader from the North since 1960, except for Sir Tafawa Balewa, has been a Fulani.
And even Balewa, as Prime Minister from 1960 till 1966, took orders from the reverred and much loved Saurdana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who was Premier of the North and who was also Fulani.
For anyone to suggest that Atiku Abubakar, another Fulani, should take power and succeed Buhari, who is also Fulani, in the coming election is uncioble, unacceptable, inequitable, unjust and darn right dangerous simply because it would confirm the misguided, erroneous and insulting notion that Nigeria has a master race who are born to rule.
It would also affect our national unity and take us back to the ugly and unpleasant days of separatist agitation, deep suspicion and tribal tensions.
This is why all the Fulani leaders and politicians and indeed ALL Northerners generally that either support or are members of the APC, together with ALL the Northern APC Governors, have opted to honor an earlier agreement and their word by insisting that power shifts to the South in our upcoming presidential election and specifically to our party‘s candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
I have no doubt that the North will stand firmly behind BAT because Northerners, generally speaking, are men and women of honor.
Once they give their word they honor it. All delusions and fears of a pending betrayal of BAT by the North are unfounded regardless of how much our collective enemies wish or mouth it.
The North will hold the line and stand firmly with Tinubu.
Their faith also compels them to do the right and proper thing and constrains them to seek fairness, justice and equity.
And seeking fairness, justice and equity in this context means nothing less than a shift of power to the South after 8 years of a Northern Buhari Presidency.
APC has done the right thing by fielding Asiwaju and standing by him and I am not only very proud of them but I also consider it an honor to be in their ranks.
History will be kind to the Northerners of APC particularly for making this monumental sacrifice and relinquishing power to the South in order to ensure justice and to preserve the peace and unity of Nigeria.
A vote for Atiku on Saturday is indeed a vote for dishonor, injustice and the destabilisation of our nation.
It is wrong.
It is dangerous.
It is wicked.
It is iniquitous.
It is unjust.
–Fani-Kayode is former minister of Aviation
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