Chief Ewie Aimienwauu is a former governorship aspirant in Edo State under  PDP, and President of A 100 Conference of All former governorship aspirants in the South South region.

In this interview with Nosike Moses, Chief Ewie says it is turn of the South to rule Nigeria for 8 years after the immediate past president from the North, Muhammadu Buhari completed his 8 year tenure, even as the South supported him. He then advised the North to respect the agreement of power shift. Excerpts:

What is your takes on the proposition that the 2027 presidential race should be thrown open to both the north and the south?

Recently there has been a lot of hue and cry whether or not we should stay with the gentleman agreement of power shift. Constitutionally a lot of people argue that because of the federal character component of the 1999 constitution, there has to be fairness in sharing everything in Nigeria. That accounts for why Value Added tax (VAT) that is generated in Lagos is shared to develop Northern states and that accounts for why crude oil from the Niger Delta is distributed to develop the Northern states that are not producing anything or not producing enough comparatively speaking. But recently there has been a lot of talk whether or not presidency should now be open to all comers in 2027.

This agenda will fail. This was the same agenda that was promoted to truncate former president Goodluck Jonathan’s second term and that same agenda has started brewing now. The truth is, there is an agreement that presidency will rotate between the North and the South for eight years. For people to now be saying that the North is producing the presidential candidate in 2027 is not only unpatriotic, it is an attempt to destabilize the country. Only recently, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, did say that the presidency is not leaving the south until 2031, which is the position and since then, there has been a lot of misgivings. Senator George Akume is right.

He is only speaking about what had been agreed upon and is being practiced. Anybody who goes around saying anything other than what Senator Akume has said with regards to rotational presidency between the South and the North, on eight years apiece, is not being truthful. Senator George Akume who is speaking for one Nigeria needs to be commended. He has said the right thing, he has pedigree, he is a man of honour and unbending principle.

The South should now rally round him and the greatest concern that I have is that certain Southern elements from the South have now started coming to the national space saying in a democracy anybody is free to run. How is anybody free to run? Anybody who is running in 2027 and who is not a Southerner is a saboteur. The point is that it is not even time to be quarrelling about 2027, the economy of this country is not stable.

The population of the country needs to be fed, the infrastructure needs to be revitalized, the president should be allowed to do some work. The president should be allowed to concentrate on governance. All of these people that are dragging him to come and talk about politics, this is not the time for politics, this is the time for governance. Nigerians want to get some returns for the trust that they have reposed on the president. People should not start threatening about second term or not, come 2027 the president of Nigeria must come from the South and George Akume is right.

When do politicians start preparing for the next elections?

Politicians start the next elections at the end of every election, which is true but that is in terms of harmonization, reconciliation and mobilization. You have to strengthen your base before you come out to say I want to run. Everyday is not a competition. There are more days spent in preparation and rehearsal than the competition. This is the time for preparation and rehearsal. Organize your people, party, strengthen your structure and wait for the whistle to be blown.

Northerners who are speaking about 2027, are they not strengthening their base?

They are not strengthening their base but causing confusion in the country. The Northerners cannot produce the next president because the South must get her eight years. They do not have the number except they want to turn the table and break it.

What is the constitutional basis of all these things?

They are coming from a position where a few minorities in this country become agitated when they are not controlling our national wealth. I don’t see why the agreement that power should rotate between the South and the North should become an issue. Before you know it, eight years is over. Immediate past president of the country, General Buhari (rtd) did it, the South waited and even supported him to become the president and it is now the turn of the South for eight years. Constitutionally, yes! it is not entrenched that the president must rotate but it is an agreement that has promoted unity. It is not about individuals but we are talking about groups in this country. No group must emasculate the other. The North cannot come and take the turn of the South.

They did it before and they succeeded but this time, it will not work. Any Southerner who is lending his voice to Northern clamour for the presidency to be thrown open under the altar of democracy, that Southerner is a saboteur and an enemy of the South.

What are your expectations from Southern politicians and opinion leaders now?

At this time, Southern political leaders irrespective of political divide should support President Bola Tinubu even though he has not said whether or not he is interested in seeking re-election. Every southern politician irrespective of political party must stand behind Senator Akume that the presidency must continue to rotate between the North and the South. When the time comes, the South will decide who represents them.

Your position is suggesting that the game has started?

We didn’t start the game. The North started the game. In fact, they even started the game at the swearing in ceremony of the current president. We are still in the process of consolidating government, tackling all the issues.