By Musa Bakare.
In every democratic society, power is both a trust and a test. It swings like a pendulum, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right or central, often between senatorial districts, regions, and even generations. Yet, beneath this oscillation lies a deeper truth: stability is not merely in who holds power, but in how power is rotated and shared.
Since independence, Nigeria’s political power has moved like a restless pendulum, from North to South, from military to civilian, from party to party, and from reformist fervor to conservative retreat. Each movement was not without tension, but each carried a vital lesson, peace is preserved when all components of the federation or the state feel seen, represented, and secure in the power equation.
Power rotation, therefore, is not a mere political convenience; it is a stabilizing mechanism, a safeguard against domination, exclusion, and alienation. It is the invisible thread that holds together the fragile fabric of every society.
Security is not only about guns, bullets, and uniforms; it is about justice, balance, and inclusion. A Nation, State, Senatorial District or Federal Constituency where one section perpetually feels marginalized can never be said to be truly secured. The assurance that power will rotate fairly, transparently, and predictably creates a psychological peace that no army can enforce.
When properly managed, each rotation renews faith in the minds of the people and assures every senatorial district or federal constituency that their time too will come. This moral assurance diffuses tension, strengthens belonging, and disarms the centrifugal forces that threaten cohesion.
Nigeria’s most turbulent political moments have not arisen merely from elections themselves, but from the perception of injustice surrounding power transitions.
From the annulment of June 12, 1993, to the perennial contestations over zoning and rotational principles, the lesson remains consistent, wherever power balance is disrupted, wherever the winner takes all mentality prevails to the perpetual detriment of others, societal peace begins to tremble.
True democracy must not only celebrate winners; it must also protect the structures that guarantee inclusiveness and balance. The pendulum of power must continue to swing, not erratically, but rhythmically, anchored on equity and guided by wisdom.
The strength of Nigeria’s democracy will not be judged by how loudly we argue, but by how peacefully we alternate leadership. True statesmanship lies in knowing when to hold power and when to let go; when to lead and when to allow others to take the mantle for the sake of societal equilibrium.
As 2027 approaches, Nigeria once again faces the test of rotation, not just of power, but of understanding.
After eight unbroken years of a Northern orthern presidency under Muhammadu Buhari, the eight years of the South, now embodied in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, must be guaranteed calmly, confidently, and morally, like a pendulum sustaining balance through motion.
The pendulum of power must never become a weapon in the hands of the majority; it must remain the instrument of communal harmony and national cohesion. In the end, the true security of any society lies not in the might of its rulers, but in the fairness of its power rotation.
– Musa Asiru Bakare, a Political Analyst and Commentator, writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.
