Confab recommends inclusion of zone in constitution

The National Conference Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government on Monday recommended the entrenchment of the zoning principle in the Electoral Act.
The decision was reached by the committee after an exhaustive debate by members who want it to form part of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and others who said it should be the business of the political parties to decide where they will zone power to enhance their electoral fortunes.
The Co-Chairman of the committee and a delegate representing the North East geopolitical zone, Hon. Mohammed Kumaila, in reading out the resolution, said that rotational principle will be entrenched in the electoral act and in the political parties constitution to reflect how power will be zoned in the states and the centre
Earlier speaking on the debate, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State and a delegate representing North Central geopolitical zone, Dr. Philip Salawu, supported the zoning principle, which he said should be practiced at the centre, states and local governments.
The Ebira of Kogi State born politician said that the Presidency should alternate between the North and the South on the basis of the six geopolitical zone.
Salawu said that it should be included in the 1999 Constitution.
He went on to say that making it constitutional will reduce the clamour for state creation.
“If you entrench zoning in our constitution, the quest for state creation would not be necessary anymore,” he said.
A delegate representing the South East zone and the Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, told the committee to decide on how the rotation will work to save the delegates the stress of going through many processes.
The Enugu State born traditional ruler maintained that the rotational principle should be based geopolitical zones since it has been used to determine our sharing formula.
Agubuzu posited that the South East and the North East have been marginalized in terms of producing the president.
He urged the delegates to support the zones to produce the president in 2019.
He said this should start with the South East and then to the North East, adding that it will save the nation unnecessary crises.
A delegate representing Federal Government, Jonathan Tamlong, who said that he shared the sentiment of rotation, argued that rotation will give everybody the opportunity to occupy the highest political office in Nigeria.
Tamlong suggested that political parties should include zoning in their constitutions to protect special interests.
“It has to be institutionalized. We also ask the parties to include zoning in their constitutions as it affects all levels of government. It should not be included in the constitution but given legal backing beyond the constitution and it should be entrenched in the electoral law,” the Plateau State born retired general said.
A delegate representing the Federal Government and former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, who opposed rotation on the basis that it does always bring out the best to manage the affairs of the people, said that a level playing ground should be provided for everybody irrespective of tribe or religion.
He went on to say that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was elected owing to the certain particularities he possessed, while President Goodluck Jonathan was elected against zoning.
Waziri, a former gubernatorial candidate in Yobe State, said: “I believe that a level playing ground should be given to every Nigerian.
“The strength of the nation is not in the quantity but in the quality.
“Goodluck was elected against the zoning fomular.
“Obasanjo was elected not on any sentiment in 1999 but because of certain attributes that he possessed.”