Why North May Rule Nigeria Forever – Doyin Okupe

A former spokesperson on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe explains why the Northern may continue to rule at the centre for a long time to come.

Dr. Doyin Okupe / Photo credit: source: facebook
Dr. Doyin Okupe / Photo credit: source: facebook

Dr. Doyin Okupe said on Tuesday said that is it possible for the North to rule Nigeria forever.

The former spokesperson on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan said the inability of states in the South to unite, regardless of their differences could present the North the opportunity to rule Nigeria in perpetuity.

Reacting in a Facebook post to the Acting Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Musa Liman Kwande, who said Northerners would vote for a presidential candidate from the region in 2023, Okupe said Southern politicians who cannot form a common front have themselves to blame.

Okupe said, “The Chairman of the Arewa Forum recently declared that in 2023 the North will vote for a Northern candidate irrespective of political party considerations. Many southerners are upset at this audacity and blame it on the failure of southern politicians to form a political united front.

“Truth and reality is that the south cannot easily be united. The odds favour the North. NW the highest voting population is virtually homogeneous. The NE though may differ in tongue and to some extent culturally, still will always find common ground with the NW based on religion and language.

“The technical buffer zone the NC is largely disparate essentially haven little in common.

“The south – SS, SW and SE – are majorly distinct sub-nationalities with the exception of SS which like NC, are stand-alone tribes or clusters of nationalities.

“A Yoruba presidency has little or no direct benefit to a Delta indigene from Warri, or Izon from Yenogoa, or an Ibo man from Umuahia. So, even if the leadership of the South can spin off a semblance of political unity, it will be difficult to translate it into votes by the local electorates.

“In truth it is actually unfair to expect such unity as may be found among the Northern political elites.

“Nigeria, therefore, as politically constituted and with the adopted political format is intrinsically inequitable and not sustainable. The North can in theory, exploit the present situation and rule in perpetuity, but how long it can hold the nation state together, will be the major challenge.”

The Interview Editors

Written by The Interview Editors

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