Sowore Faults Rotational Presidency, Says Nigeria Needs Competence Over Zoning
Former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the concept of rotational presidency in Nigeria, describing it as a flawed arrangement that undermines merit and national progress.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday, Sowore argued that Nigeria should focus on electing leaders based on competence rather than regional origin.
“If I have a good president in Nigeria who can run this country very well, I don’t care where he comes from,” Sowore declared. “That is what the majority of the Nigerian people are aspiring for.”
The convener of the #RevolutionNow movement questioned the logic of zoning political power, saying it has failed to produce effective governance or true representation for many Nigerians.
“When you zone it to the North, the majority of the northerners would want to take a shot at it. When you zone it back to the South, the South of Nigeria is not Yoruba or Igbo alone. It is just senseless,” he said.
Sowore, who contested in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections under the African Action Congress (AAC), has consistently pushed for structural reforms in Nigeria’s political system, including ending the recycling of political elites and dismantling what he calls the “entrenched power-sharing cartel.”
According to him, rotational presidency, while originally intended to address issues of inclusivity, has been hijacked by elite interests and has done little to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians across regions.
“What people want is electricity, jobs, security, healthcare, and a functioning education system not a president who shares their dialect but fails to deliver,” he said.
Sowore’s comments come amid renewed national debates on power rotation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with various political blocs already positioning themselves along regional lines. However, his stance challenges the conventional narrative, calling instead for a merit-based,
performance-driven political culture.
The activist urged Nigerians to rise above ethnic and regional sentiments in their electoral choices, emphasizing that the future of the country depends on putting capable hands in leadership, regardless of where they come from.
His remarks are expected to stir conversations across political circles, especially as the clamour for zoning continues to dominate discourse within major parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
