A Member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, has expressed deep concern over the push to legalize rotational presidency, warning that such a move could set a “dangerous precedent” and challenge the constitutional rights of Nigerians.
El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency and is the son of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, made his stance known during a House plenary debate on Tuesday on the bill which seeks to include presidential rotation among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones in the constitution.
While acknowledging the importance of fairness and inclusion in leadership, the lawmaker raised a critical question: “Nigeria has over 400 different ethnicities—who will it be for?”
He argued that if the bill becomes law, it might spark more division than unity. According to him, zoning leadership positions could trigger a scramble among various ethnic groups within the same zone, each insisting it is their “turn” to produce the next president.
“In my little experience in Nigeria,” he said, “if you do something like this, every tribe in every state will also come out and say it’s their turn.”
El-Rufai also raised a constitutional red flag, pointing out that restricting the right to run for presidency based on geographic location could infringe on the democratic rights of citizens.
“Once eligible, regardless of the zone you are from, you are entitled to run for president or vice president if you feel qualified. Does that infringe on the constitutional right of the candidate to participate in our democracy?” he asked.
He further warned that while democracy isn’t perfect, it remains Nigeria’s best option for now. However, using legal tools like constitutional amendments to enforce political rotation could weaken merit-based leadership and deepen existing mistrust among citizens.
Citing historical scenarios, El-Rufai asked what would happen in the case of a president’s death while in office—like the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua. “Will it actually be fair to ask the vice president to step down in the event of such an unforeseen circumstance?” he asked, suggesting that good governance should remain the priority.
Though he admitted that zoning might address feelings of injustice and imbalance, El-Rufai stressed that these issues stem more from governance failure and lack of social equity than from leadership origin.
He concluded by urging the House to tread carefully: “Let’s not set a dangerous precedent without proper diligence. The constitutional review committee must take time to truly assess the consequences of such a bill.”
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