The Presidency has deployed statistics to counter those accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of nepotism.
According to the ones it has just released, North has got just over 45 per cent, while North has got above 54.
This, the Presidency believes, is contrary to those saying Buhari has favored the North at the expense of the South.
The latest strident voice against such alleged nepotism is that of a former Military Governor of Kano State, Abubakar Umar.
In a letter a few days ago, Umar urged Buhari to retrace his steps and emulate his predecessors such as Fatawa Balewa and Olusegun Obasanjo.
While the government is wielding the statistics, however, some of the critics are likely to note that their argument is not about nominal spread but about what happens in strategic areas such as the military and the NNPC.
Here are the statistics according to the Presidency:
