Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged political stakeholders to respect the North-south power rotation arrangement, saying the principle is essential to Nigeria’s national stability, fairness and democratic consolidation.
He made this known yesterday in Abuja when he received a delegation from the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, led by its Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Adehi.
Akume said the arrangement, which emerged from consultations among political leaders ahead of the return to civilian rule in 1999, remained an important framework for promoting national cohesion and ensuring equitable distribution of political power between the two regions.
The SGF recalled that political leaders, who met in Kaduna in 1999 had agreed that presidential power should alternate between the North and the South in eight-year cycles, beginning with the South, as part of efforts to address concerns about political exclusion and strengthen national unity.
He explained that the arrangement was conceived to promote political balance, build mutual trust and safeguard the country’s territorial integrity by ensuring that neither region felt permanently excluded from the nation’s highest political office.
Akume insisted that power rotation should not be regarded as a temporary political convenience but as a fundamental political understanding anchored on fairness, mutual respect and national stability.
He also expressed concern over attempts by Northern aspirants to contest the presidency before the completion of the South’s current eight-year cycle, insisting that the established sequence should be respected.
According to him, following the eight-year administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the current presidential tenure held by a Southerner should be allowed to run its course in accordance with the principle of alternating power between the two regions.
He argued that respecting the arrangement would reinforce confidence in the democratic process and help sustain the understanding among Nigeria’s diverse political and regional interests.
Akume further emphasised the need for greater collaboration among the federal, state and local governments to address the country’s economic and social challenges, noting that ongoing reforms and development initiatives should be assessed against both immediate economic realities and long-term national objectives.
He commended the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba for its charitable interventions aimed at improving the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians.
Earlier, Adehi said the organisation had undertaken several humanitarian initiatives, including supporting medical treatment for patients, assisting inmates with outstanding financial obligations to facilitate their release from correctional facilities, providing boreholes, renovating schools and supporting hospitals.
He explained that the interventions were informed by the recognition that the government alone could not address the numerous social and economic challenges facing the country.
He also urged greater collaboration between government and private organisations through philanthropy, partnerships and community-based initiatives to alleviate poverty and improve living conditions
Umahi Seeks Support for Tinubu’s Second Term Bid, Cites Infrastructure Drive
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid, arguing that continuity in leadership would sustain the administration’s infrastructure drive and consolidate the gains of its economic reforms.
Umahi made the call at a town hall meeting in Kano, ahead of the commissioning of major road projects in the state, including outstanding works on Section I, Lot 1 (Zaria-Kano) of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway, the ministry said in a statement.
The minister, who also called for the re-election of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, said the federal government’s infrastructure investments and difficult economic decisions were laying the foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity.
“The worst is over. The darkest part of the morning is the dawn. We are moving into prosperity as a result of the hard decisions occasioned by the reforms,” he said.
He identified the removal of petroleum subsidy and other economic policy changes as necessary measures to reposition the Nigerian economy, urging citizens to remain patient as the benefits of the reforms increasingly translated into development projects across the country.
Umahi also dismissed the perception that the South-east was opposed to Tinubu’s administration, reaffirming the region’s commitment to national unity and calling for support for the president’s second-term ambition.
The minister commended Yusuf for his leadership, particularly his efforts to promote peace, unity and inclusive governance, while praising the state’s environmental sanitation standards.
“I am yet to see another state that is beating Kano in cleanliness. In all the streets we passed through, you could pick a pin,” Umahi said.
He attributed the level of cleanliness to purposeful leadership and the effective use of public resources, adding that Kano’s example reflected the standard of environmental responsibility and governance Nigerians deserved.
Umahi also praised the governor for bringing together political leaders, former governors, prominent indigenes and other stakeholders, describing the gesture as evidence of mutual respect and a commitment to the collective progress of the state.
He urged Kano residents to support Yusuf’s second-term bid, arguing that continuity would help sustain the governor’s development initiatives and strengthen the state’s contribution to national progress.
The minister further advocated greater representation of engineers in leadership positions, saying their technical expertise, professional training and problem-solving abilities could improve governance and infrastructure delivery.
He expressed appreciation for the peaceful atmosphere and unity he witnessed in Kano, noting that the experience had positively influenced his perception of the state and prompted him to reconsider his departure date.
Earlier, Yusuf commended the federal government for its infrastructure investments, particularly the road projects expected to improve transportation, connectivity and economic activities in Kano and the wider North-west region.
The governor described the scheduled commissioning of outstanding works on the Zaria-Kano section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway as a significant milestone in the country’s infrastructure development.
He thanked Tinubu for the interventions and other support extended to Kano State, expressing optimism that the commissioning ceremony would be successful.
The Federal Ministry of Works said it remained committed to delivering durable, safe and quality road infrastructure across the country under the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.