Yahaya Bello makes case for North-Central presidency, says region more marginalised than South-East

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Tuesday argued that the North-Central is more marginalised than the South-East region, as he made a case for the North-Central presidency.

Mr Bello while speaking at the presidential villa on Tuesday, insinuated that the region was more deserving of the country’s presidency seat than the South-East.

He claimed that, unlike South-East, the region has been suffering marginalisation since independence.

“If you’re talking of South-East you will equally talk of North-Central, not only since 1999 but since 1960,” Mr Bello said, adding that in comparison, the North-Central was more marginalised. 

“Put the situation of South-East and that of North-Central side by side. Who is more disadvantaged in terms of the position of presidency, both president and vice president? So, if you put both sides together, then let’s do justice,” He added.

The governor further boasted that he was eminently qualified to contest at the 2023 presidential election. 

There has been raging debate about whether or not the presidency should be ceded to the South-East, considering that it is the only region that has not presided over the country.

While several politicians in the South have threatened serious political consequences if the power is not shifted to the region in 2023, northern politicians are insisting that no citizen should be disenfranchised because they are from a region that produced the last president.

Power rotation has been practiced amongst political parties in informal arrangements that seeks to address marginalisation between Nigeria’s multiple ethnic and religious groups.