…Zoning unconstitutional, but…- Lawyer
‘…It won’t give room for selfless, visionary candidates to emerge’
…All zones should be treated fairly – PDP
…Why ruling party looking the other way – Chieftain
With about one year until the 2023 general elections, the ambitions of most politicians within the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), still hang in the balance over zoning arrangements. ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU and BODE OLAGOKE in this report wonder why the two leading parties plan to throw their presidential tickets open.
As the countdown to the 2023 presidential election continues, aspirants from the major political parties, APC and PDP, continue to strategise and oil their structures towards occupying Aso Rock. Bigwigs from the North and the South within the two parties are reportedly consulting and setting up structures for the election.
Expectations were that upon the completion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office, the South would have the opportunity to produce the next president based on the principle of zoning. However, there are indications that with politicians from the northern region already strategising to be in the race the principle may be either set aside or jettisoned.
Nigeria has had 15 heads of government and presidents since it became an independent nation in 1960. Notably, out of the 15 civilian and military leaders that ruled her since independence, 10, including the incumbent president, are from the North while five are from the South.
Interestingly, Nigeria has had so many conferences to correct perceived imbalance in the nation’s political system beginning from the 1994/1995 Constitutional Conference (CC) organised by the late head of state, Sani Abacha, the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) convoked by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, and the most recent National Conference during the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2014.
All these conferences adopted rotational presidency between the North and the South, though 1994/1995, 2005 and 2014 conferences recommended that the principle of power rotation should be enshrined in the Constitution so that executive positions rotate at federal, state and local governments. However, it has not been included in the Constitution; hence rotational presidency remains a recommended principle.
Legality
In a phone interview with this reporter, a legal practitioner and a political analyst, Suleiman Ibrahim, described zoning as “an unconstitutional arrangement.”
He said, “It’s now a tradition that whenever we approach an election year, the zoning debate dominates the media space. In the last couple of weeks a few politicians within the APC and the PDP have made their intentions known to Nigerians while others for the fear of the unknown are still pursuing their presidential ambition quietly.
“Even as agitations continue to build up from various political support groups and even socio-ethnic groups, the zoning arrangement remains unconstitutional. Many politicians have benefitted from it and it has also cut short the political lifespan of some politicians when it was perceived that they or their party breached the principle.
“So, because it is not binding on political parties to zone presidential tickets between the North and South, the APC and PDP may throw their 2023 tickets open. The PDP’s major concern remains to win the 2023 election. For the APC too, their major goal is to ensure that the party remains intact so that it can win the 2023 election.”
Ibrahim added: “However, unlike in the PDP, leaving the ticket open in the APC does not mean it will be dominated by northern aspirants or that they will give the party’s ticket to another northerner to succeed President Buhari. It is likely going to be open in the two parties, but the southern aspirants appeared to stand a better chance in the APC, while another northern may emerge as the candidate of the PDP.
“Be that as it may, zoning remains unconstitutional, but it’s a child of necessity considering Nigeria’s complexity. So, to address some of the political imbalances, it has become part of the political consciousness and has been adopted in most political parties during elections across the country.”
Fear of implosion
In his view, a political analyst, Aminu Muhammed, thinks the two major parties are planning to throw the contest for their 2023 presidential tickets open because of the fear of party implosion.
Speaking with Blueprint Weekend, Mohammed said, “There are many reasons the APC and PDP may throw open the race for its 2023 presidential tickets. Among other reasons, this will allow all zones to field aspirants.
“Also, in a party where the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto state governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike; Bauchi state governor Senator Bala Mohammed; former Senate Presidents Anyim Pius Anyim and Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki; Chief Dele Momodu; Mazi Samuel Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa, among others all from different zones wanting to be president, it will be difficult to adopt zoning because some may be favoured and it may cause internal rancour within the party.
“Similarly, in the other party where the likes of former Lagos state governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and many others from different parts of the country, do you want the party to zone its ticket? Of course, it will cost them a lot, including victory.”
Muhammed said further, “So, the two major parties are planning to leave it open because of the bigwigs that are interested in flying their flags. It is also as a result of the fear of implosion; if it is zoned against a particular aspirant with resources and a huge support base, the person and the supporters may storm out of the party and that will affect the party’s chances.
“Zoning the 2023 presidential ticket is a banana peel that APC and PDP are trying to avoid. This will also help them to avoid an intra-party crisis, get more resources and go into the election united without losing critical and influential stakeholders.
“Majorly, to avoid internal crisis, the fear of implosion and hunger or desperation to win is why they want to jettison zoning.
An ex-lawmaker’s admonition
On his part, Hon. Hassan Saleh said aspirants and members have continued to urge political parties to throw their 2023 ticket open to give room for a selfless and visionary candidate to emerge.
In a chat with Blueprint Weekend, the former member of the House of Representatives said, “What is important is that all political parties should be in line with the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and the constitution of various political parties to provide a level-playing field for all.
“Perhaps, the major political parties have now realised that Nigerians are yearning for good governance; Nigerians are saying that let us have a credible person that will unify the country; they want candidates that can secure and develop Nigeria and not a candidate that will emerge because of zoning arrangements without anything to show.
“Whether the next president is from the North or South shouldn’t be an issue. Political parties should not inflame the polity by this demand for zoning. I have seen on the news that what Nigerians want now is a change from poverty, insecurity; a change from ethnic jingoism and a change from division to unity. So, this should be the major concern of political parties across the country, including the PDP. What is important is that Nigeria needs that selfless and visionary leader that will unite the country. And that is what should be of concern to all Nigerians. So, the parties should provide a level-playing field; that is the only way to get the best for Nigeria.”
On its part, the Northern Advocate of Good Governance (NAFGG) in a letter dated February 2, 2022, addressed to the national chairman of the PDP by the national coordinator, Malam Mahmoud Mohammed Katun, requested that the party’s presidential ticket be thrown open.
It vehemently kicked against that “illogical pressure being mounted by some interest groups and self-serving politicians, who are insisting that the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 must be zoned to the Southern part of the country.”
The letter read in part, “We state without equivocation that the presidency of Nigeria is open to all zones and most importantly zones that have not produced the president of our country.
“We denounce those propagating the Southern agenda and further make bold to say that these are nothing but the machinations of a few politicians who are only after their interests under the guise of rotational presidency.
“In the event that the All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Young Progressives Party (YPP) or any other political party wishes to zone their presidential tickets, the North-east and North-central should be considered first because these two zones have not produced the president of Nigeria
“But even more importantly, it is our considered position that political parties should prioritise experience, competence and capacity in choosing or zoning their presidential tickets.”
PDP scribe’s take
On his part, the deputy national publicity secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the party plans to ditch zoning so that it will be fair to the six geo-political zones.
“The new National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of Senator Iyorchia Ayu has already resolved that this is exactly what he will pursue as an objective in ensuring that the six geo-political zones of Nigeria are given an equal opportunity to bill for the available offices to rescue and re-build Nigeria.
“There will be hope for Nigerians who have lost hope and their hope will be redeemed. In the days ahead you will find the vehicle to join which is PDP. That dashed hope, that lost hope will be rekindled.
“As we speak, Nigerians are bidding from the South-east, South-west, and the North. No section of Nigeria should be denied an opportunity to contest or aspire, it is left for Nigerians to decide where they want to allow the president go.”
APC chieftain’s position
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the APC who was chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Intelligence and Internal Security, Aminu Sani Jaji, charged the ruling party to jettison zoning for due diligence to take place.
In a chat with our reporter, Jaji said the zoning arrangement was a caricature and that allowing space for everybody who thinks he has something to offer to aspire is the best thing to do.
“The issue of zoning is just political understanding but not something institutional. Most of the zoning arrangements are caricatures. So, let us allow the due diligence to take place. We want to grow politically and democratically.
“So, let us allow space for everybody who thinks he has something to offer; that is the best because if you say you want to zone the Presidency to the North and people in the South like him because of his capacity, he believes in Nigeria’s unity and has all the credentials to become a good president and you say he should not contest because we have zoned it to the North and you are from the South, there will be a problem. So, what do you think? That means you are disenfranchising that person and stopping him from serving his fatherland.
“The issue of zoning is a mere arrangement. I don’t subscribe to that arrangement. As far back as 2015, I opposed it. But I will support any person with integrity and credibility that can pilot the affairs of the state. Anybody who is going to contest I look at their pedigree and his ability to work all round the clock. That is my candidate.”
