South West Riding High On Democracy’s Gains – APC’s Adamu Garba Reveals

APC chieftain and politician, Adamu Garba, has argued that the South West remains the biggest beneficiary of Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.

In a post shared on X, Garba analyzed the distribution of the Presidency and Vice Presidency across Nigeria’s regions since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. According to him, while the South West and North West have enjoyed significant representation, the South East and North East have yet to produce either a President or Vice President.

He raised concerns about this imbalance and questioned whether it could be corrected as the nation heads toward the 2027 general elections.

Garba’s breakdown of power rotation reads:

Presidency Tenure Since 1999

• South (18 years total):

  • South West – 12 years

  • South South – 6 years

  • South East – 0 years

• North (10 years total):

  • North West – 10 years

  • North East – 0 years

  • North Central – 0 years

Vice Presidency Tenure

• South (10 years total):

  • South West – 8 years

  • South South – 2 years

  • South East – 0 years

• North (18 years total):

  • North West – 6 years

  • North East – 12 years

  • North Central – 0 years

Based on this assessment, Garba concluded that:

• The South West are the biggest beneficiaries, with 12 years of the Presidency and 8 years of the Vice Presidency.

• The North West follow with 10 years of the Presidency and 6 years of the Vice Presidency.

• The South South has had 6 years of the Presidency and 2 years of the Vice Presidency.

• The North East has produced 12 years of the Vice Presidency.

• Meanwhile, the South East and North Central remain the most disadvantaged, with zero years in both the Presidency and Vice Presidency.

Garba then posed critical questions:

• When “the South” is mentioned in political discussions, is every southern region truly included?

• Likewise, when “the North” is referenced, does it represent all northern regions equally?

• Can Nigeria claim inclusivity when two entire zones have been excluded from the top leadership since 1999?

He suggested that as 2027 approaches, the political system must find ways to give marginalized regions a seat at the table. While acknowledging that democracy is a game of numbers, Garba emphasized that true national unity requires inclusivity and fairness.