The Guardian (Nigeria)

Gov. Bello Faults Clamour For Rotational Presidency, State Police

- By Seye Olumide ( Southwest Bureau Chief)

GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has rejected the demand for zoning of the presidency and creation of State Police.

The governor said what Nigeria needs today is the best brain to captain it, noting that community policing is better than state police.

Bello, while speaking during the first annual GYB Seminar for Nigeria’s Political and Crime Correspond­ents in Abuja, yesterday, said instead of rotational presidency, Nigeria deserves the best brains to manage it.

“The country is like a ship that deserves the best captain to direct it at this period. There had been zoning of the presidency during the 16 years rule of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP). What have been our achievemen­ts?

“If zoning will solve our problems, former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have solved the challenges facing the southwest. His successor, the late Umaru Yar’adua would have solved the problems of the North while erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan would also have solved the issues in Niger Delta. Even President Muhammadu Buhari would have put a stop to problems in the North.

“I am not saying they did no try in the circumstan­ces they found themselves but it shows that zoning would not bring solution to our challenges in Nigeria,” he said.

Bello said zoning is neither in the constituti­on of the All Progressiv­es Congress ( APC) nor in the 1999 Constituti­on.

The governor said if Nigeria should continue with rotation of the presidency “then in the interest of justice, fairness and equity, going back to 1999, all other geo- political zones in Nigeria had produced president and vice president except North Central and Southeast.

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