Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said competence and merit should be the criteria for selecting leaders in the country and not zoning of political offices.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos during his Independence State of the Nation address titled: ‘The black box of Nigeria’s politics’, Bakare said the 2023 election should not be a priority amidst tension pervading the country, urging that there is a need to put the nation in order before talking about election.

This is as the Convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) announced the inauguration of Nigeria for Nigerians, a.k.a ‘N4N Movement’, which he said is an indication that “it is time for Nigerians to take back Nigeria.”

He said: “We major in minor and minor in major. If a president benefits the people of his area, it should have been clear to us.

For almost 40 years out of 62, the North has been in power and the people there are impoverished. “Former President Jonathan was in power but it didn’t benefit the South South. When Obasanjo was in power, was it not local government allocation of Lagos that was withheld? If there is rotation as an accepted policy to make Nigeria peaceful, so be it.

“But shouldn’t we be more concerned about who leads us than where they come from? Is the person competent, does he have the capacity and what is he bringing to the table? That should be our concern and not because he or she is from my village.

That is the nonsense that has brought us here. As long as the person is a Nigerian and has what it takes to steer the ship of the country accurately, so be it.”

According to him, the ethnic, religiousandsecessionist agitations in the East, West and North are indications that Nigeria is in dire need of restructuring, urging the President to restructure the country before the 2023 election.

“I say to President Muhammadu Buhari: Mr President, stop passing the buck to the National Assembly. Tear down this inhibiting concoction of a constitution; tear it down so we can build a truly great nation!

This is one enduring legacy your administration can still secure before your time in power draws to a close.

“If you do, present and unborn generations of Nigerians will remember you for it and write your name in gold when the history of this period is written. If you don’t, history will record that you failed to rise to the occasion and squandered a great opportunity.

“What we need is a geopolitical structure that will provide an enabling environment for every zone in our nation to maximize its geo-economic opportunities and potentials under a strong and united Nigeria.

This can be achieved by a pragmatic approach to restructuring Nigeria, rather than by mere zoning of the presidency.

“Please note that those clamouring and waiting for genuine change to happen through the upcoming 2023 presidential election, without first insisting that our imposed sham of a constitution must be torn and discarded, are merely putting the cart before the horse.

This is nothing but a prescription for retrogression. No tangible progress can ever be made by such an exercise in futility. It would be tantamount to building a superstructure on a faulty or shaky foundation,” he said.

Elucidating on his comment that there will be a change of guard in government before December, the fiery lawyer said: “A change of guard means we need fresh heads and insights if we have to fix the problems of Nigeria.

Everyone looks tired around the President and we need a change of guard to bring in competent people to handle critical issues and that is what I mean by change of guard. “I am not advocating a coup, God forbid, because that will set us back by many years again. Anyone thinking of change with that military system, that would be illegal; I didn’t say change of government, I said change of guards.”

Raising concerns about the tense build-up to the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election and the outcome it may produce, adding that: “I think we need to put our house in order before we start talking about the 2023 election.”

Bakare, who was President Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election, identified 12 power blocs and gatekeepers whose individual and combined influence have often surpassed the voice of the electorate.

“These power blocs constitute the elite who stepped into the shoes of the colonialists after independence. Like the colonialists, these power blocs have mastered the art of divide and rule and have kept citizens disunited along ethnic, political and religious lines.”