Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign slated for Monday in Borno State, a socio political group, the Southern Borno Development Forum, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to address the political imbalance in Borno which have given a certain tribe dominance in the tussle for the governor of the state.
They added that since the creation of the state, the Kanuris who occupy the Central and Northern senatorial districts have continued to be at the helm of affairs as governor in the state with people from Southern part, a conglomerate of various ethnic groups, relegated to presenting the deputy governor at every election.
The group in a statement signed by Ibrahim Askirama (chairman) and Sunday Mshelia (Secretary) which was made available to newsmen on Saturday in Maiduguri, noted that during the last gubernatorial primary of the governing APC in the state, the major hope of Southern Borno becoming the governor for the first term, through Ahaji Idris Durkwa, was manipulated to second position.
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They argued that President Goodluck Jonathan became the President of Nigeria from a minority group because of the understanding of all Nigerians that power must be rotated, and asked why such can’t be introduced in Borno State, where the baton to who become the governor has continued to be exchanged between Borno North and Central and among Kanuris.
“When is the baton going to be exchanged into the hands of people from Southern Borno.The president and chairman of APC, the ruling party, should ensure that they make the baton rotate to various ethnic groups in Borno.
“We still feel robbed that our greatest hope of having one of our sons as governor was manipulated out of the race by some political gladiators in the state, perhaps we might get reprieve in the battle of Idris Durkwa at the court to get the party’s ticket.
“We however feel it is the time for external forces to convince the Kanuris to allow the people of Borno South to be at the helm for continued unity and progress of our dear state.
“As Buhari is expected to continue his campaign in Borno on Monday, he should emphasise on the need for power to be rotated not only at the federal level but at all levels.
“Despite the feeling of being shortchanged in the APC, we have decided to vote massively for APC believing that the National Executive Council of the party will soon change the face of politics in Borno State,” the group said.
