Politics
Presidency Must Shift To South In 2023 – Gaya
Senator Kabiru Gaya says the Southern part of Nigeria should produce the next president in 2023 for fairness.
Gaya said this while speaking to The Tide source in Abuja.
He said that the north had produced president for two terms in person of President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been doing well in developing the country, saying “I am proud of him because I believe he is doing his best.
“On the issue of presidency in 2023, I will support a president from the southern part of the country. I believe it is time we have president from the southern part of the country while the vice president comes from the north.
“I think it should be fair to rotate the presidency in such a way that people will have confidence in the system; both the north and the south will accommodate each other. Nigeria needs to be one country. One united country,’’ he said.
On the agitations for restructuring, Gaya said that Nigeria should remain one indivisible country, while improving on its revenue generation.
“God knows the best why he put us together and I believe there is a reason for it.
“But when you say you want to restructure the country using revenue generation, that each state lives on its own or parts of the nation in terms of tribe strive on its own, I think that is the thinking of some Nigerians.
“I believe that Nigeria should remain one indivisible entity,’’ he said.
The lawmaker expressed the need for Nigeria to harness its natural resources for development of the country.
“We are very lucky that God loves Nigeria, I think it is one of the countries that God loves most, because it is a country devoid of all the natural disasters. We don’t have snow, earthquake and volcanic eruption in Nigeria.
“We have no rainfall that sweeps the whole states in Nigeria. Our temperature, climates are good. We do not have bush fire that burns the whole states like in the U.S.
“God has blessed this country. Even our rainfall is normal and we have vast virgin land that is unutilised. If we will continue to improve on our agriculture, I am sure we will go places,’’ he said.
Gaya said a state in India- Punjap which was smaller than Kano State, was producing about 70 per cent of wheat requirement of the country, in spite of the large population.
“So if we can improve on agriculture in our country we will be self-sufficient in food.
“When Buhari banned importation of rice, we all went back to farming. I am also a farmer growing rice and other crops.
“Therefore, we should try to improve on what God has given us in such a way that we can progress to a developing nation,’’ he said.
Senator Makarfi’s resignation comes on the heels of the national convention that saw the emergence of the new Chairman of PDP, Dr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).
In his letter of resignation, which was addressed to the PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Monday evening, the former governor said, “Chairman and Members of the Board of Trustees may recall that about two months ago I had resigned as Secretary of the Board and posted same on the Board’s WhatsApp platform.
“Mr Chairman, you may also recall that you personally urged me to stay on until after a convention that produced a Chairman.”
He added that the principal reason he initially tendered his resignation then “and now, was and is still my belief that the National Chairman of the Party and Secretary of the Board of Trustees should not come from the same geopolitical zone.
“Now that a chairman has emerged from the North West, where I come from, it’s necessary to give him full space to do the needful. Accordingly, I hereby formally resign as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party with effect from today, November 17th, 2025.”
While commending the BoT Chairman for his support during his tenure as Secretary of the Board, he stressed, “I truly appreciate the very respectful relationship between us during my period as Secretary,” adding that, “I also appreciate all Board members for their support and the good relationship that prevailed during my period as Secretary.”
Meanwhile, Dr Turaki on Monday pledged to ensure that power returns to the Nigerian people, urging the judiciary to uphold the tenets of democracy.
Dr Turaki, while giving his acceptance speech after the swearing-in of new officers at the end of the Elective Convention of the PDP in Ibadan, assured that there will be “no more impunity, no more suppression of the will of Nigerians”.
The chairman appealed to the judiciary to uphold the principles of stare decision, abiding by the decisions of the Supreme Court, and not to “willingly or unwillingly put yourselves in a situation where, rightly or wrongly, it may be assumed, correctly or incorrectly, that you are part and parcel of the process to truncate Nigerian democracy.”
According to him, the new leadership of the party would be open to listening to the yearnings of members, with a view to aligning with their will, declaring that “No more monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” adding that “if baboon wants to chop, baboon must be seated to work.”
He noted that the PDP has maintained its original name, motto and logo, unlike the other parties that started with it, making it a recognised brand anywhere in Nigeria.
Mr Agboke, in a statement on Monday, said that conducting party primaries in line with the law was important ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
INEC has fixed August 8, 2026, for the governorship election in Osun State.
Mr Adegoke appealed to all registered political parties in the state to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the commission’s guidelines and regulations for the conduct of their primaries.
“The commission emphasises the need for the conduct of free, fair, and peaceful primary elections that reflect the will of the party members as a panacea for the reduction of pre-election litigations.
“We observed that primary elections have often been a source of pre-election litigation, which can be avoided if parties follow the laid-down procedures and guidelines.
“INEC, therefore, urges all political parties to ensure that their primaries are conducted in a transparent, democratic, and peaceful manner. All aspirants should be given equal opportunities to participate,” he said.
Mr Agboke stated that, in line with the guidelines released by INEC’s national headquarters, the political parties’ primaries for the 2026 governorship election in the state are scheduled to take place between November 24 and December 15.
He said INEC was prepared to provide necessary support and guidance to parties to ensure that their primaries are conducted in accordance with the law.
“We call on all stakeholders, including security agencies, to support the commission in its efforts to ensure peaceful and credible party primaries.
“INEC will continue to monitor the activities of political parties and take appropriate actions within the ambit of the law against any party that fails to comply with the electoral laws and regulations,” he said.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum has strongly condemned the attack on the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu LGA, Kebbi.
The bandits’ attack led to the abduction of 25 female students as well as the reported killing of the vice principal of the school.
Reacting to the mass abduction on Monday, the chairman of the forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, described the kidnapping as tragic, senseless, and utterly unacceptable.
In a statement by his media aide on Monday, Gov. Yahaya stated that the continued targeting of schools posed a grave threat to the region’s stability and the nation’s educational future.
Gov. Yahaya, on behalf of the northern governors, commiserated with the government and people of Kebbi State, especially the families of the abducted students and those who lost their lives in the attack.
He assured Governor Nasir Idris of the forum’s solidarity and support during this difficult moment.
He said that schools must be sanctuaries of learning, not targets of violence, warning that continued assaults on educational institutions threatened to reverse gains made in improving school enrolment and curbing the out-of-school crisis in the region.
Mr Yahaya expressed deep concern over the trauma the abducted schoolgirls may be facing and called for an immediate and well-coordinated operation by security agencies to ensure their safe rescue and the arrest of the perpetrators.
Reaffirming the NSGF’s commitment to collaborating with the federal government and security institutions, Gov. Yahaya stated that the safety, education, and welfare of young Nigerians remain a top priority for the forum.
He urged communities to remain vigilant and cooperate with the security agencies in the collective efforts to rid the region of criminality.
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