Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Delta has said that Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party can never be Nigeria’s president.
Gbagi, a die-hard advocate of Southern Nigeria’s presidency at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, said it is unthinkable for Nigerians to vote another Northern Nigeria at the end of Buhari’s administration.
Gbagi, a former minister of state for education during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, noted that Nigeria is structured in a way that the presidency rotates between North and South in a period of eight years each. Hence, since President Buhari is from the North the next presidency cannot return to the North.
The Delta SDP governorship candidate made the statement when he hosted pastors in Delta state at his country home for a prayer session for the 2023 guber race and for peace in Nigeria and Delta state.
Besides the issue of North South rotational presidency which has removed Atiku from the race, he noted that Atiku has inclination for the implementation of the RUGA policy of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The RUGA policy introduced by Buhari received heavy criticism from all geographical zones in the country, the heat of which compelled Buhari to suspend implementation of the programme.
It is believed across Nigeria, especially in the non-muslim states, that RUGA is an extention of Islamism and a systematic but steady takeover of lands and conquering of states hitherto not having real presence of the Islamic faith in Nigeria.
This is why the programme received serious backlash from all Nigerians and Buhari’s administration had no option but to put the programme on hold.
However, it is believed that Atiku has a soft spot for the reintroduction of the programme if he wins the presidential election in 2023.
The SDP guber candidate said: “Atiku said I will implement RUGA settlement as started by Buhari. That means we arw gone. To tell me you will seize my father’s land is unacceptable.
“I will do everything as God will allow me to stop Atiku from emerging Nigeria’s president. Atiku can never be president in Nigeria.”
Gbagi mentioned two presidential candidates that are qualified to lead Nigeria. He identified Prince Adebayo Adewole from Ondo state, a presidential candidate of the SDP and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party from Anambra state as the two qualified presidential candidates that can rule Nigeria after Buhari’s administration.
