The Nigeria Equity Group has faulted the recent call by the Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) for a Yoruba Muslim to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
MURIC had in a statement argued that Christians from the South-West had had their fair share of leadership in the country and that the next president should be a Muslim from the South-West.
But NEG said this would go against the principles of rotation of power, which was put in place by the political class to ensure balance, equity and fairness in the nation’s body polity.
NEG, a civil society group that advocates equity in the Nigerian political space, said the principle of rotation of power also applies to the two major faiths of Christianity and Islam.
“Given that the current president is a Muslim and from the North, fairness, justice and equity demand that, based on the principle of rotation of power between the North and South, the next president should be a Christian from the South,” NEG said in a statement signed by its National Convener, Dr Emeka Nwosu.
It added: “The position of the NEG is that it would be against the rule of natural justice, equity and fairness that another Muslim should succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
“For emphasis, we reiterate that the only way to guarantee enduring peace, progress and stability in Nigeria is for the next president to be a Christian from the South.”
The group said while it appreciates the concerns of the director of MURIC, Professor Is’haq Akintola, on the need for equity, justice and fairness in political and economic opportunities for all groups, the issue of the 2023 is beyond what the South-West alone can decide.
“We would therefore like to urge the MURIC to consider the wider dimensions of the 2023 presidential power rotation, which involves all the southern states, as against only the South-West.