A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu, says the south should be allowed to complete its eight years of presidency.

Mr Nwosu, a former chief of staff to the Imo government, stated this in an interview with journalists on Saturday in Abuja.

He said the south should be allowed to complete its eight-year tenure, just like the north did under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“It is unfair and unjust to say power should return to the north in 2027. I am not in support of that. I’m 100 per cent in support of the south to complete its eight years.

“We have President Bola Tinubu, who is from the south. So why should we, at this point in time, start talking about power returning to the north?

“Former President Buhari just finished his eight years. So, it is very justifiable that the south should finish its eight years too before we now talk about power shifting,” Mr Nwosu said.

On the agitation for power shift to the South-East zone, Mr Nwosu said the people of the zone should allow Mr Tinubu to finish his tenure first.

On his assessment of the Tinubu-led administration, Mr Nwosu said it was too early to start judging the administration, advising Nigerians to give it more chance.

He said Mr Tinubu had been able to record achievements in socio-economic and infrastructural development.

Mr Nwosu stated that the president and his team were doing everything to address economic hardship, develop infrastructure and put food on people’s tables.

On the move by some opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Governor Nasir El-Rufai to form a coalition to take over power in 2027, Mr Nwosu said it was not a challenge to the APC.

“Coalition is good, but I don’t see them coming together because they all have their different ideas, personal interests and ambitions,” he said.

The APC chieftain urged the federal and state governments to address the root cause of insecurity in the country.

Mr Nwosu suggested the deployment of more security personnel to the areas where there were security challenges.

On the gale of defections by politicians and political office holders to the ruling APC, Mr Nwosu said this did not mean Nigeria was drifting toward a one-party.

“We all know that PDP is currently in crisis, with more than one national secretary. Also, if your party is in crisis, you cannot be talking about the party manifesto,” he said.

(NAN)