Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticized the practice of rotational presidency in Nigeria, emphasizing that the country should focus on selecting leaders based on their ability to effectively govern rather than on their regional origin. Speaking on the breakfast show ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Channels Television, Sowore stated, “If I have a good President in Nigeria, who can run this country very well, I don’t care where he comes from.” He argued this is the aspiration of the majority of Nigerians and aligns with the principle that all regions should have the opportunity to lead.
Sowore further expressed that every presidential aspirant should be judged on merit rather than on geopolitical zones. He described zoning politics, such as allocating the presidency strictly to the north or south, as senseless and counterproductive. According to him, the focus should be on the candidate’s qualifications, manifesto, and character, not their ethnic or regional background. Sowore stressed, “Zoning the presidency to the worst character in the country is not going to make you get anywhere. Give everybody a chance.”
His stance challenges the entrenched practice of rotational presidency aimed at balancing power among Nigeria’s diverse regions and advocates instead for governance competence as the key criterion for leadership selection.