Former House of Representatives member Dr. Usman Bugaje has ignited a fiery debate by questioning the impact of past presidents from both the Northern and Southern regions of Nigeria. Speaking on Arise TV, Dr. Usman lamented that the ongoing political discourse heavily emphasizes the geographical origin of potential presidential candidates, overshadowing critical developmental issues.
According to a report in The Nigerian Tribune, he argued that this preoccupation with North versus South candidacies stems from a lack of substantive ideas among politicians.
Dr. Usman challenged the notion that a leader’s region of origin guarantees progress, stating emphatically, “Look, this conversation about North and South is coming from the emptiness of our politics. The politicians have nothing to offer. If they had, let them put their ideas on the table.”
“I am going to go for a president irrespective of where he comes from. Once he is a Nigerian, he has the idea to fix this country. In this 21st century, we are still talking about North and South. In any case, we have tried the Northern president, we have tried the Southern president. What have they done? I have not seen anything,” he added.
Dr. Usman urged Nigerians and the media to shift their focus from the movement of political figures between parties to the more crucial question of what these individuals and their parties actually represent and intend to do for the nation.
He stressed that the critical challenges facing Nigeria—economic stagnation, environmental degradation, and widespread insecurity—demand concrete solutions and innovative policies, not just a president from a particular part of the country.
Highlighting the alarming rate of population growth and increasing poverty, hunger, and disease, Dr. Usman called for a fundamental re-evaluation of Nigeria’s democratic process.
He emphasized the need for citizens to hold politicians accountable, demanding clear agendas and tangible plans for national development, irrespective of their ethnic or regional background.
The focus, he asserted, should be on the substance of their proposals and their capacity to improve the lives of all Nigerians.
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