News Editor
By Dahiru Yusuf Yabo
In a federation like Nigeria, where history is laden with ethnic suspicions, religious contradictions, and regional disparities, the principle of political power shift was not born of luxury but necessity. It was established as a moral code and political stabilizer—a covenant to promote unity, equity, and representation in our delicate national balance. However, recent developments show that this principle is being toxicated, twisted by those who once demanded it the loudest but now engineer its erosion with intellectual dishonesty and strategic dominance.
At the heart of this political toxication lies the South West geopolitical zone—once perceived as the conscience of democratic struggles, now seen as the asbestos layer of Nigerian politics: insulated, self-preserving, and dangerously toxic to national equity.
From Power Rotation to Power Retention
Since 1999, Nigeria has unofficially rotated presidential power between the North and South to maintain a sense of balance. Olusegun Obasanjo (South West) served for eight years, followed by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (North West), whose death led to Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure (South South), then Muhammadu Buhari (North West). In 2023, by moral logic and rotational equity, the South was to produce the president—preferably from the South East for fairness—but instead, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the South West muscled through, leveraging a strange Muslim-Muslim ticket that contradicted Nigeria’s pluralistic character.
This was no accident; it was a well-calculated subversion of collective understanding. It turned the North from power holders to political tools, the South East from stakeholders to spectators, and the rest of the country into silent mourners of a murdered consensus.
The South West Intrigue – Asbestos Politics
The concept of “asbestos” in this context describes how the South West political elite have insulated themselves from the heat of rotational demands, projecting themselves as indispensable while sidestepping equity.
They lay claim to the legacy of June 12 and NADECO but now deploy that same moral capital to justify political monopolization. Tinubu’s political machinery has built a self-perpetuating doctrine of dominance, where appointments and policies are tactically redistributed to symbolically appease others, while true power is centrally retained.
How does a Muslim-Muslim presidency under a South West figure end up with Christian dominance in critical sectors of power—from the Senate President to SGF, Ministers of Finance, Interior, Works, FCT, and even security and economic intelligence heads?
If this isn’t theology wrapped in strategy, what is?
Treachery in the Name of Alliance
The North, especially the conservative Arewa bloc, must confront a painful truth: the historical alliance with the South West has become a trap of perpetual utility, not mutual trust. Arewa has often delivered the votes; the South West walks away with the presidency, influence, and economic control. This unbalanced partnership is no longer sustainable.
As referenced by political analysts like Jibrin Ibrahim (Premium Times, 2023), the “burden of unity” is too often borne by the North, while the spoils of democracy are cherry-picked by those who specialize in crafting myths of sacrifice and sophistication.
Credible Leadership Suffocated by Intrigue
In this poisoned atmosphere, credible leaders from the North Central, South East, and other marginalized zones find themselves boxed out—not due to lack of merit, but due to a systematic gatekeeping structure that rewards loyalty to regional empires over national competence. Those who speak out are blackmailed; those who keep quiet are appointed to symbolic posts that serve as optical illusions of inclusion.
This breeds a crisis of legitimacy, and worse, a growing resentment that could explode into regional withdrawal or even secessionist resurgence.
Way Forward – Detoxify the Federation
To save Nigeria from structural asphyxiation, the following must be addressed urgently:
1. Expunge Power Rotation into the Constitution to prevent further elite manipulation.
2. End Regional Monopoly by revisiting federal character in practice, not just paper.
3. Reawaken Northern Consciousness to resist sentimental loyalty without strategic dividends.
4. Empower Marginalized Regions by building coalitions for justice and inclusivity.
5. Demand Transparency and Traceability in leadership pedigree and political legitimacy.
Conclusion: No to Political Asbestos, Yes to National Equity
The toxication of power shift is no longer a theoretical warning—it is a lived reality. The South West’s strategy of dominating power while preaching alliance must be unmasked. Nigeria is bigger than any individual, region, or cult of personality. If we fail to detoxify this system, the cracks in our national structure may no longer be manageable.
Justice delayed is not only justice denied—it is unity destroyed.
Nigeria must choose now: balance or breakdown.
About the Author:
Dahiru Yusuf Yabo is a political analyst, former Commissioner, and public affairs commentator based in Northern Nigeria. He is the author of “99% Loyalty is No Loyalty” and publisher of Yabo International Magazine.
