Gbenro Adesina
Few days after Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai of Kaduna State justified the reason why the South should produce the next president in Nigeria, Southern Governors have resolved that the next president of the nation should emerge from the Southern Region.
The governors, in a meeting held in Lagos on Monday July 5, 2021, who restated their commitment to the politics of equity, fairness held that it was only fair that the South produce the next president after the position might have been in the North for eight years at the expiration of the tenure of General Muhammadu Buhari.
The explained that the principle of rotational presidency between the North and the South backed the request.
At the meeting, the Forum reviewed the security situation in the country and commends security operatives for their relentless efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserated with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty.
While reinstating its position on the need for the immediate approval of the creation of the state police, the Forum condemned the security recklessness and resolved that if for any reason security institutions need to undertake an operation in any State, the Chief Security Officer of the State (Governor) must be duly informed.
According to a statement signed by its Chairman, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, “the forum frowns at selective criminal administration of Justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the Law and fundamental human rights; set a timeline of Wednesday, 1st September, 2021 for the promulgation of the anti open grazing law in all member States; and resolved that Funds deducted from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the States and Federal Government to combat security challenges”.
While commending the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the PIB, the Forum rejects the proposed three percent and support the five percent share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives as well as rejecting the proposed 30 percent share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins.
It further rejected the ownership structure of the proposed Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), disagreeing that the company be vested in the Federal Ministry of Finance, saying the ownership “should be held in trust by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) since all tiers of Government have stakes in that vehicle”.
The Forum also rejected the removal of the Electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act and the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court.
