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Arewa Forum: Producing President In 2023 Not Exclusive Right Of South
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Wednesday said it was not the exclusive right of the South to produce the president in 2023.
Speaking exclusively with Daily Independent, Anthony Sani, a northern leader and the outgoing Secretary-General of the ACF, said there was no national consensus on zoning that was binding on political parties in the country.
According to him, since Nigeria was practising a multiparty democracy, each political party was free to zone its presidential ticket to any part of the country.
“In a multiparty democracy, it is political parties that field candidates for elective positions because there is no provision for independent candidates.
“And if any political party, in its winning game plans, fields a candidate from the South and majority of Nigerians vote for him, so be it! That would be democracy in action.
“I say so because the president coming from the South is not a matter of right, considering there is no national consensus on politics of identity symbolised by zoning that is binding on the political parties.
“As long as there is no national consensus on politics of identity symbolised by zoning that is binding on political parties, it is not possible to shut out any region or zone or state from the contest for the post of the president.
“Recall when President Obasanjo wanted to force politics of zoning on the nation by bringing the late President Umaru Yar’Adua from the North after the South, he had to use political blackmail to shut out people like former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili, from the South.
“And when President Yar’Adua died, one did not expect former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest with Muhammadu Buhari in 2011 and 2015, in the spirit of zoning. But he did.”
Also reacting to the statement made by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State that the presidency should rightly return to the Southern part of the country, Sani said the statement was El-Rufai’s personal opinion and not the general belief of the North.
The ACF scribe said, in the last presidential election, even when it was agreed that the North should produce presidential candidates, a large percentage of presidential candidates that participated in the 2019 elections were from the Southern part of the country.
“In 2019, it was thought that the spirit of zoning would leave the field for presidential candidates from the North, but there were over 70 candidates, most of them from the South.
“This is testament to the fact that there is no national consensus on zoning that is binding on political parties with exclusive preserve to field candidates for elective posts in our multiparty democracy. That is why what Governor El-Rufai has said is not more than his personal opinion,” he said.
Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, has stepped down from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, citing the need to safeguard his integrity and prevent distractions to the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Presidency confirmed Nnaji’s resignation on Tuesday, following heightened public scrutiny over allegations of certificate forgery and inconsistencies in his academic records.
In a statement released the same day, Nnaji said his decision came after “careful reflection and consultations with family, associates, and well-meaning Nigerians.” He described the claims as part of a “sustained campaign of falsehood” that he believes is politically motivated, aimed at undermining both his character and office.
“These baseless allegations and media distortions have caused personal distress and begun to distract from the important work of the ministry and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Nnaji emphasized that his resignation should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt, but rather as a personal choice to uphold due process and allow judicial proceedings to take their course.
“I cannot, in good conscience, allow these distractions to overshadow the noble objectives of the Tinubu administration,” he added, reaffirming his decades-long record of dedication and service.
Appointed in August 2023, Nnaji’s tenure ended amid investigations into alleged procurement irregularities and a public dispute with the Enugu State Government over the certificate forgery allegations.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has blamed the deteriorating security situation in the state on the legacy of the 2018 Offa bank robbery, linking the incident to the leadership of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking with journalists during a visit to Oke-Ode, the governor accused Saraki of “playing politics with security” and urged him to take responsibility for the tragic robbery incident that claimed 33 lives before criticising the current administration.
> “It was under PDP. Bukola Saraki bears a court statement that he is the leader of PDP in Kwara. Under his leadership, 33 people were killed in one day,” AbdulRazaq said in a viral video.
The governor further alleged that the armed gang behind the deadly robbery were Saraki’s loyalists, claiming they used “Aso Ebi of Saraki’s wedding” and vehicles branded with his name during the operation. He maintained that the PDP lacked the moral authority to challenge his government’s efforts in tackling insecurity.
In September 2024, a Kwara State High Court delivered judgement on the case, sentencing five suspects to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The convicts — Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham — were part of the gang responsible for the massacre.
Meanwhile, several communities in Kwara South and Central, including Oke-Ode, Patigi, and Marri, continue to suffer repeated attacks by armed gangs, leading to rising fear among residents and mass displacement from rural areas.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Component, OPERATION FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) Sect 3, on 28 September 2025 conducted multiple coordinated missions across Kakihun, Oke-ode, Babanla and surrounding areas. Reconnaissance and close air support operations were executed to deter threats, while hostile elements sighted east of Babanla were decisively engaged. Concurrent surveillance flights also covered key settlements and military positions, gathering critical intelligence to support ground forces.
These missions reaffirm NAF’s commitment to protecting troops and civilians, maintaining air superiority, and sustaining pressure on hostile actors. All operations were completed successfully. The NAF assures Nigerians of its unwavering resolve to defend the nation’s territorial integrity and safeguard communities against threats. Citizens are encouraged to remain confident, vigilant, and supportive of the Armed Forces as decisive actions continue to restore lasting peace and security across the country.
Ehimen Ejodame
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information,
Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force.
29 September 2025
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