I was invited to share some personal thoughts on the issue of South South presidential bid at a consultative meeting today. Find the summary below.

Give it to the South South this time!
Power sharing is the key to sustainable development and national peace

Many strong and emerging democracies of our time have either previously used or are using power sharing. The principle for this is simple. Some ethnic, language and geographical groups are stronger than the others. Population is a major factor in democracy and obviously, some groups have it more than the others. Some groups are more influential than the others. Some groups have more political lobbying skills, political might and financial resources to push their course than the others. Some groups are more advantaged than the others in sharing political sentiments by virtue of the homogenous and diversity of communities and groups respectively. Power sharing creates space to accommodate everyone; minority, majority and aliens who have become part of the community through naturalisation, marriage or long term residency. Power sharing is the formula that will make sense in Nigeria at this time in our national life and democracy.

So why the South South? The south south is where Nigeria’s oil wealth is based, contributing nearly 90 percent of national income. The south south is the only region in the country that has never tasted the power of the presidency, despite her strong commitment to one Nigeria and her great contributions towards the sustenance of democratic principles in Nigeria. Great heroes, outstanding national and international professionals from the South South have contributed their bit to national development and are promoting Nigeria’s image outside the country. If ever there is a time when we need the presidency, the time is now!

The Niger-delta has been particularly degraded by oil exploration and exploitation activities and this has brought about immense suffering to the peoples and communities. The Niger-delta man knows the true meaning of poverty. As such, if a man from the South South becomes president, he will be in the best position to initiate programmes that will truly eradicate poverty from the grassroots. Social change and national development processes always begin from poor and underserved communities who have learnt resource mobilisation and self help the hard way. The South South people have demonstrated their ability to help themselves in the midst of abject poverty, they will be in the best position to help others towards eradicating poverty and sustaining our national democracy.

The youth of the South South are innovative, energetic, strong, enthusiastic, ready to work and build and ready to move the Nigerian Agenda forward. The youth from the south south have been supportive of many administrations past and present. They will be able to support their own, towards the development of a Nigeria that we all will like to live in. The youth of the South South are able to mobilise and produce a candidate that has intellectual prowess, that has a feel of what the people face, both from a National perspective and from a south south specific perspective, and a knows international diplomacy that can fit in properly with maintaining Nigeria’s foremost position as the giant of Africa. The youth of the South South are able to identify and support the leader for our great country.

It has always been said that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, or better still the leaders of today for a better tomorrow. The youth demand true leadership that is based on the one Nigeria principle. True leadership that will be fair to all concerned. True leadership that can serve as a legacy that can be followed by the leaders of today and tomorrow. True leadership that will facilitate the process of sustaining our democracy and aid development at all levels. This kind of leadership is achievable. GIVE IT TO THE SOUTH SOUTH THIS TIME, to achieve Nigeria’s truest and most forward looking leadership in the 21st century.