A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Global Initiatives for Good Governance (GIGG), has backed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal for a rotational presidency of a six-year single term.
The Director-General of GIGG, Dr. Emeka Kalu, said rotational presidency would reshape the country and quicken development across the country and would ensure that all the six geo-political zones of the country are treated equitably.
Atiku had in August, written to the National Assembly, proposing a six-term rotational presidency in line with the ongoing effort to revise the 1999 Constitution.
His proposal, which was addressed to the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Barau Jibrin, contains recommendations on procedures for the educational qualification of candidates in elections, internal democracy in political parties and rotation of the presidential position among the six geo-political zones of the country.
Responding to Atiku’s proposal, Kalu appealed to the National Assembly to ensure that this suggestion is adopted in the proposed amendment, noting that the former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2025 election has shown commitment to justice and equity where the nation’s multi-ethnic diversities would be given equal opportunity to participate in national governance, if passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the president.
He said: “If adopted, Atiku’s proposal for constitutional amendment to capture rotational presidency between the Southern and Northern regions would enable each of the six geo-political zones the power to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains the only ripen fruit our democracy would be believed to have harvested in the history of Nigeria.
“The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate has shown his unbiased sense of commitment to justice and equity where the nation’s multi-ethnic diversities would be given equal opportunity to participate in national governance.”
Kalu said that marginalisation, poorly implemented federal character principles and the agitations for equity have continued to spark civil unrest in the country, thereby leading to the various violent cases of civil disorder, terrorism and other pockets of criminalities.
He added: “In my book titled ‘Atiku Abubakar, the Man for Nigeria,’ I made Nigerians realise the fact that the Waziri Adamawa is such a detribalised political thinker whose ambitions of working to become the President were anchored on liberating the nation from the shackles of burning economic entrapment, political inequality, insecurity, food crisis and poor industrialisation.
“His antecedents speak for him while his track records of integrity and experience in public space stand his name tall on the sands of time and history.”
The group insisted that its position is neither a subtle campaign to popularise Atiku’s interest nor making a case for his 2027 presidential ambition, but is aimed at ensuring a better Nigeria for all.
