A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa says recent moves by persons in the northern part of Nigeria wanting to appropriate presidency to the north alone is daydreaming taken too far.
Hon Vasta lambasted a northern socio-cultural group that has called for an end to the rotational presidency.
He asserted that they calculated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would die while in office.”
The APC chieftain made the condemnation while speaking with some newsmen in Minna capital City of Niger State.
Hon. Vasta recalled that the group, under the auspices of, Arewa New Agenda (ANA) had on Thursday in Yola, Adamawa State declared its opposition to the rotational presidency in Nigeria.
The group’s President, Senator Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi had addressed newsmen and alleged that Northern Nigeria was shortchanged by the Tinubu-led administration.
He argues that, despite the numerical strength of the north to determine the political direction and the leadership of the country, it supported President Tinubu.
“With this their call, the Igbo man must test the presidency and Bola Tinubu must do his term terms of eight years before that can take place.
“Then we will agree on whether there should be rotation or not. And if these two events take place everybody can go.”
But Hon Vasta explained their recent outburst.
Hon Vatsa, who was a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism said: “You can not shift the goalpost in the middle of the game because it does not favour you.
“The reason, the North wanted a Muslim-Muslim ticket was that, by their calculation, they had concluded that Asiwaju (President Tinubu) would die in office and a northern Muslim (Tinubu’s Vice) would take over.
“That was the genesis behind the Muslim-Muslim ticket and they promoted it.
“But because Asiwaju’s life is not in human beings’ hands and God’s time has not come for him, they are disappointed.
“Secondly, Asiwaju has refused to be arm twisted and they are not comfortable with most of the things that he is doing and his policies.
“Let us look at this critically, look at the Presidents from the military and civilians that have ruled Nigeria from the Northern extraction, has the presidency translated to anything?
“Has poverty left the North? Even if you give them the presidency tomorrow, the North will still be poor because they are stealing the money and keeping it in individuals’ pockets”.
“They are there threatening that they have the number. Which North are they referring to? Is it the geographical North or the one that is already in disarray being ravaged by bandits? There are killings in Zamfara, Katsina, and other places every day.
“Well, I have a feeling they are just trying to get attention. My advice is that they should get ready because the rains have started coming, they should prepare to go to the farm.”
