As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other northern leaders to uphold the zoning principle in the country.

In Bauchi, at the 11th Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture and Awards, the SGF, who was represented by his chief of staff, Christopher Tarkaa, stated that respecting zoning agreements was crucial for fostering unity and ensuring equitable representation across all regions.

Some northern leaders, including Atiku, El-Rufai, and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, are believed to be strategising to take power in the 2027 presidential polls. Many believe such a move might not be healthy for the polity, as the South might want an eight-year term in the presidency before power returns to the North in 2031, as President Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed an eight?year term before power rotated to the South.

?The principle of zoning has been instrumental in maintaining Nigeria?s fragile balance,? Akume said, urging political actors to prioritise national cohesion over personal ambitions.

He assured of the federal government?s commitment to ensuring social justice and equity among the country?s regions and said that Nigeria?s unity in diversity remains its most excellent resource for promoting national development and cohesion.

?This is evident in creating regional commissions to promote and facilitate faster development at the grassroots.

?Indeed, the North has played a critical role in Nigeria?s corporate existence. As such, I urge us all not to do anything that would jeopardise the unity of Nigeria. I state this because of my love for the North and this country. With due respect to my seniors and contemporaries, we must do everything to avoid the experiences of Somalia, Libya and Iraq.

?I passionately appeal to you, my brothers of Northern Nigeria, to stand with President Bola Tinubu for the development and unity of this country. The president means well for Nigeria,? he said.

Our correspondent reports that Akume?s call comes amid growing tension over potential shifts in the regional rotation of the presidency, with political heavyweights positioning themselves for the race. The SGF?s appeal could rekindle discussions on how zoning can sustain Nigeria?s democratic stability in the face of diverse regional interests.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has emphasised the need for Northern Nigeria to establish a platform for a peer review mechanism, regional integration, and a well-defined roadmap to address its numerous challenges.

Bala stated this during the 11th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture and Merit Awards at the Government House in Bauchi on the theme ?Nature?s Bounty: Turning Northern Nigeria?s Untapped Resources into Sustainable Prosperity.?

Governor Mohammed expressed concerns over rising poverty, illiteracy, disease, malnutrition, crime, banditry, and insurgency in the region. He lamented the lack of a unified plan for the North, saying, ?The Northern region needs a clear plan; we are in disarray.?

Bala, however, said under the leadership of the Northern Governors Forum (NGF), chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, efforts are being made to change this narrative.

?We started this in the North-East Governors? Forum, and now, all states in the federation are borrowing from us. Governor Inuwa Yahaya initiated this in 2019, and we are working to ensure it expands across Nigeria.?

He stressed the importance of strategic planning and resource management: ?We must assess where we are and where we want to be and utilise our scarce resources efficiently to implement effective policies.?

Governor Mohammed also called for increased accountability, transparency, and trust between the government and the people. He praised the leadership examples provided by Sir Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, describing them as exemplary figures who set high governance standards.

?These great leaders left us a legacy of unity, good governance, and strong values. It is a profound heritage we must preserve and pass on to the next generation,? Bala said.

The Bauchi governor expressed disappointment at the declining quality of governance across Nigeria, which he attributed to the worsening socio-economic conditions in the region, and called for collective efforts to overcome these challenges.

?These issues are not insurmountable, but they require a united front from all Northerners and Nigerians, regardless of tribe, religion, or geography,? he said.

Reflecting on the sacrifices of past leaders, he urged Nigerians to work towards producing more visionary leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

?Why can?t we recreate the past? We need leaders who will dedicate themselves selflessly to the people, just as our forefathers did,? he said.

The governor highlighted Bauchi State?s Medium-Term Development Plan (2021?2025), which was formulated even before he assumed office in 2019, and emphasised that governance should be guided by knowledge and strategic planning.

?In Bauchi, we lead with a plan. Before we won the election, we had already developed our governance blueprint. If we had lost, we would have handed it over to whoever won to ensure continuity.?

?Good governance can only be done by a plan. In Bauchi, we have always led by plan. My Bauchi Project is what we have developed even before we won the election in 2019. Our idea was that when we lost, we would hand it over to whoever won so that governance would be led by knowledge and understanding of where we are.

?But God, in his mercy, made us win, and we developed the Bauchi State Medium-Term Development Plan 2021 and 2025, and that is what we are assiduously implementing.

Today, we have reached a level where the resources are scarce, but we have achieved a lot because we do Hisabi (judgement) for ourselves daily.?

For his part, the guest speaker, a former minister of finance, Dr. Mansur Mukhtar, said the northern region is blessed with vast resources that, if wisely harnessed, could solve many of the area?s challenges.

He reminisced about the era when agriculture was the backbone of the region?s economy, providing sustenance and employment to over 70% of its population. He recommended the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and sustainable farming practices to enhance productivity, ensure food security, and create jobs.

Mukhtar further stated that by prioritising human capital development and strongly emphasising education, health, and women empowerment, the North could harness the full potential of its greatest asset, its people, to drive socioeconomic growth and development.

Speaking at the event, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, chairman of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation?s board of trustees, emphasised that the organisation is a non-political and non-governmental entity dedicated to preserving the legacies of the late Premier of the Northern Region. (LEADERSHIP)

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