Rotational Presidency Undermines Merit — Sowore

Former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has rejected the idea of a rotational presidency in Nigeria, describing it as a setback to meritocracy and national development.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television on Tuesday, Sowore argued that leadership should be determined by competence and vision, not by regional origin.

“If I have a good president in Nigeria who can run this country very well, I don’t care where he comes from,” he said.

Sowore, who contested in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, maintained that the principle of zoning, rotating the presidency between the North and South or among geopolitical zones, undermines democratic values and distracts from the real qualities Nigerians should prioritise in their leaders.

“When you zone it to the North, the majority of Northerners would want to take a shot at it. When you zone it back to the South, the South of Nigeria is not Yoruba or Igbo alone. It is just senseless,” he said.

According to him, zoning often leads to the emergence of candidates based on ethnic sentiments rather than character or competence.

“Zoning the presidency to the worst character in the country is not going to get you anywhere,” he warned.

“Give everybody a chance. That’s why they said, ‘Come and contest for president, governor, local government chairman, present your agenda, speak to us, and we will look at your character, exposure, and vote for you.’”