Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, recently shared his thoughts on the 2015 general election and the important discussions about power rotation (zoning) that shaped it.
Amaechi said his decisions were based on fairness and respect for the informal agreement that power should rotate between the North and South of Nigeria. He openly disagreed with efforts by some in the South to keep the presidency in 2015. He believed that after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the end of Goodluck Jonathan’s term, it was the North’s rightful turn to lead.
He said, “In 2015, I told the South that the North deserved its turn. It would have been unjust for the South to continue holding power. Some tried to suggest otherwise, but I could not endorse the idea that the North should be denied its turn.”
Amaechi also pointed out that many southern politicians did not agree with his view because they wanted to hold on to power rather than follow the zoning agreement. He noted that the conflicts over power rotation became even clearer in later elections, showing the ongoing struggle between political ambitions and the need for fairness across the country.
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