Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that as agitation for a president of Southern Nigeria extraction gains traction, the critical decisions may be influenced by Northern Nigeria
Rising from their recent meeting in Lagos, governors of the 17 states in Southern Nigeria under the aegis of the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum left no one in doubt concerning their preference for who succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. Without prejudice to political party affiliation and ethnic group, these states chief executives defended the widely accepted arrangement that the presidency of Nigeria should rotate between North and South of Nigeria. This political expediency is what Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State describes as “a political design that must be respected,” although as he said, ” the power shift arrangement among the various regions is unconstitutional.”
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The fate of two out of the six nominees for the position of national commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) whose names were forwarded to the Senate for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari last year hangs in the balance as the upper chamber receives the report of its committee on INEC on Wednesday.
The two nominees are a presidential aide, Ms. Lauretta Onochie, and Professor Sani Adam.
THISDAY gathered that the Senate committee will make the final decision on the two nominees latest by Tuesday before forwarding its recommendations to the upper chamber the following day.
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Deji Elumoye in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna
President Muhammadu Buhari and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have mourned the immediate former Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Barnabas Bala (Bantex), who died yesterday in an Abuja hospital, following a protracted illness.
Buhari described Bala as a true gentleman, forthright politician, and a thorough professional.
The Kaduna State Government has declared today work-free in honour of the former deputy governor.
Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, joined the government and people of Kaduna State to mourn the passing of Bala.
Buhari described Bantex as a gentleman and consummate professional who would be remembered for his many years of distinguished service to his home state, his patriotism to the nation as well as forthrightness in politics.
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned alleged attempt by the police to undermine the statutory powers of the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mr. Mahdi Gusau, given what the main opposition party described as the decision of Governor Bello Matawalle to vacate his office by decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The main opposition party said its position was predicated on the alleged harassment of the deputy governor by the police, including an unlawful and vexatious obstruction of a planned rally by the deputy governor, despite the statutory powers vested in a situation where the governor has vacated his office, in line with the extant ruling of the Supreme Court.