Threatening secession won’t work, El-Rufai tells Igbo leaders on clamour for presidency

The Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has told Igbo leaders from the South-East how to go about achieving their goal of producing Nigeria’s president in 2023.

The Governor said although he believes power should move to the Southern part of Nigeria in the coming elections, the people of the South-East must note that they cannot get the presidency by threatening other regions with secession.

In addressing a question thrown at him on the matter at a virtual event organised by the Africa Leadership Group, the Governor explained that politics has to do with negotiations, and convincing others why they should vote for you.

“I don’t think anyone has stopped the South-East from going for the Presidency,” said El-Rufai.

“But you see, you cannot get the Presidency of Nigeria by threats or by shouting victimhood. This is a political process and you have to engage other parts of Nigeria to convince them to support you.

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“That is what everyone does. That is what Jonathan did in 2011; that is what Buhari did in 2015 and 2019. That is what every President does. You don’t stay in your corner, abuse everyone in Nigeria and say give me Presidency. It is not going to happen.”

He added, “Presidency is not by allocation. It is the result of a political process. You join a political party, your party negotiates with other parts of the country and it happens. That is how it is done. And you cannot get it by sitting down or threatening secession. It won’t work.

“I think the South-East is going about it the wrong way because if you look at the APC for instance, we do not have many footprints in the South-East.”