Why I Support Zoning (II)
Dr. Azikiwe, was the most idealistic of them all when it comes to building a united Nigeria. He said we should all forget our differences and work together as one country. His position was the most radical but sadly the most naïve.
This is because the divisions and suspicions that characterized relationships between the peoples of Nigeria is deep and enduring thus the best option toward building a united nation was to recognise our differences and work out equitable means to live together in peace.
It was based on this understanding that during the First Republic, the country had a constitution that provided a weak centre and strong regions. That probably explained why Sir Ahmadu Bello, the leader of NPC that won majority seat in Parliament at independence turned down the offer to form the government at the centre in Lagos, but instead drafted Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to go to Lagos and become the nation's first and only prime Minister, while he stayed in Kaduna, where the main action is, as the Premier of Northern Region. There was convivial competition by the various regions to keep their best brains and develop their econ omies.
It was not as if there were n o complaints of discrimination and marginalization by the various minorities in each region, of course there was, which necessitated several commissions that was set-up to address concerns of the minorities. However, the senseless coup of 1966 which later resulted to the military foisting on the country a federal constitution that made the centre too strong while weakening the region (now states) exacerbated the problem of domination and discrimination which sadly continued to this day.
It was also the military that brought federal character into the political lexicon of our country. The phrase was said to have been used by late Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, in his address to the opening session of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), in October 1975. It was through the recommendation of the CDC report that our 1979 constitutioin drafters put the federal character principle in the constitution. In their 1977 report they stated that; "There had in the past been inter-ethnic rivalry to secure the domination of government by one ethnic group or combination of ethnic groups to the exclusion of others. It is therefore essential to have some provision to ensure that the predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups is avoided in the composition of government, in the appointment or election of persons to high office in the state."
Based on the recommendation of the CDC, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 14 subsection (3), has the federal character provision which states that; "The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies."
I support in total the spirit behind the federal character principle and zoning which I consider as an advancement of the federal character to the presidential turf in order to ensure that; "there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups at the Aso Rock Villa (Emphasis mine).
The country thus owe a debt of gratitude to the defunct National Party of Nigeria NPN which put it in its constitution and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite its faults for seeing the need to continue with this noble idea that can give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians from the six geo-political zones.
Strangely, there are many who oppose zoning for the office of the president arguing that it cheapens the office, but at the same time support the federal character in appointment of various public offices. That to me, is being smart by half.
What is really the difference between federal character and zoning of public offices including the office of president by a political party? It is like trying to differentiate between eba and garri. I want the best food nutritionists among us to show me the nutritional difference between eba and garri. You cannot in all fairness support federal character and then condemn zoning.
I know that many opponents of federal character or zoning believe that they devalues the accomplishments of people who are chosen based on the social group to which they belong rather than their qualification, but without it how could Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a minority rose to the position of President today? One of the best words to come out of the mouth of former President Olusegun Obasanjo was his assertion in VOA's Straight Talk Africa that Nigeria is changing and that an indication to that was that today we have a president who is from a minority and a Senate president who is also from the minority. Obasanjo noted that this development would have been unthinkable a few decades ago, but he failed to remind his listeners and viewers that both the president and the Senate president are all beneficiaries of PDP's zoning arrangement.
I also disagree with those who think that zoning promotes mediocrity in governance. I believe that God has been fair in the distribution of geniuses in this country and they are abound in all the geo-political zones. There is no zone in this country that do not have credible and qualitative leaders that could be chosen at any given time that their zone is privileged to produce a president or any other leader for the country. The responsibility of a political party like the PDP is to find such Nigerians and give them the party's presidential ticket.
As a matter of fact, I believe that the issue of zoning should not be left to the vagaries of a political party like the PDP where the principle could be easily jettisoned by an incumbent president that want to perpetuate himself in power by making zoning constitutional. T here should be a provision in our constitution for the zoning of presidential office.
We are living witnesses to how some within the PDP used every trick in the book to prevent Jonathan from being declared an Acting President when late President Umaru Yar'Adua, was gravely ill. If we had zoning in our constitution, the north would have easily nominated one of their own to replace Yar'Adua when it became obvious that he cannot continue to run the country from the sick bed. It would have spared the country all the shenanigan that was the result of Yar'Adua's long absence from his duty post.
Zoning may not be the best option but it is the only option that could open the window of opportunity for great leadership to emerge from every part of the country thereby giving every zone a sense of belonging. To think that Nigerians would all of a sudden discard their primordial attachments and elect leaders based solely on merit is to my mind a big ask. Even when people use the victory of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presidential candidate of the SDP in 1993 over Alhaji Tofa of the NRC, it should also be recognized that it was a bit easier for Abiola because he was from one of the majority tribes-Yoruba.
Those that annulled the June 12 election that Abiola won even if they were largely motivated by selfish interest to do what they did, they used ethnic sentiments in large measures to create atmosphere of fear and suspicions to ensure that the campaign for the revalidation of that election led by NADECO did not achieve nationwide support.
Ethnicity, religious bigotry, nepotism, etc are our present reality and I believe that zoning is the only option for now that can provide opportunity for the diverse peoples of the zone to serve at the highest level and prove others wrong who thing that leadership is their prerogative in perpetuity. I believe that God in his infinite wisdom and mercy blessed every tribe, religion and race in equal measures with men of wisdom and sound leadership qualities.
This is because the divisions and suspicions that characterized relationships between the peoples of Nigeria is deep and enduring thus the best option toward building a united nation was to recognise our differences and work out equitable means to live together in peace.
It was based on this understanding that during the First Republic, the country had a constitution that provided a weak centre and strong regions. That probably explained why Sir Ahmadu Bello, the leader of NPC that won majority seat in Parliament at independence turned down the offer to form the government at the centre in Lagos, but instead drafted Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to go to Lagos and become the nation's first and only prime Minister, while he stayed in Kaduna, where the main action is, as the Premier of Northern Region. There was convivial competition by the various regions to keep their best brains and develop their econ omies.
It was not as if there were n o complaints of discrimination and marginalization by the various minorities in each region, of course there was, which necessitated several commissions that was set-up to address concerns of the minorities. However, the senseless coup of 1966 which later resulted to the military foisting on the country a federal constitution that made the centre too strong while weakening the region (now states) exacerbated the problem of domination and discrimination which sadly continued to this day.
It was also the military that brought federal character into the political lexicon of our country. The phrase was said to have been used by late Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, in his address to the opening session of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), in October 1975. It was through the recommendation of the CDC report that our 1979 constitutioin drafters put the federal character principle in the constitution. In their 1977 report they stated that; "There had in the past been inter-ethnic rivalry to secure the domination of government by one ethnic group or combination of ethnic groups to the exclusion of others. It is therefore essential to have some provision to ensure that the predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups is avoided in the composition of government, in the appointment or election of persons to high office in the state."
Based on the recommendation of the CDC, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 14 subsection (3), has the federal character provision which states that; "The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies."
I support in total the spirit behind the federal character principle and zoning which I consider as an advancement of the federal character to the presidential turf in order to ensure that; "there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups at the Aso Rock Villa (Emphasis mine).
The country thus owe a debt of gratitude to the defunct National Party of Nigeria NPN which put it in its constitution and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite its faults for seeing the need to continue with this noble idea that can give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians from the six geo-political zones.
Strangely, there are many who oppose zoning for the office of the president arguing that it cheapens the office, but at the same time support the federal character in appointment of various public offices. That to me, is being smart by half.
What is really the difference between federal character and zoning of public offices including the office of president by a political party? It is like trying to differentiate between eba and garri. I want the best food nutritionists among us to show me the nutritional difference between eba and garri. You cannot in all fairness support federal character and then condemn zoning.
I know that many opponents of federal character or zoning believe that they devalues the accomplishments of people who are chosen based on the social group to which they belong rather than their qualification, but without it how could Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a minority rose to the position of President today? One of the best words to come out of the mouth of former President Olusegun Obasanjo was his assertion in VOA's Straight Talk Africa that Nigeria is changing and that an indication to that was that today we have a president who is from a minority and a Senate president who is also from the minority. Obasanjo noted that this development would have been unthinkable a few decades ago, but he failed to remind his listeners and viewers that both the president and the Senate president are all beneficiaries of PDP's zoning arrangement.
I also disagree with those who think that zoning promotes mediocrity in governance. I believe that God has been fair in the distribution of geniuses in this country and they are abound in all the geo-political zones. There is no zone in this country that do not have credible and qualitative leaders that could be chosen at any given time that their zone is privileged to produce a president or any other leader for the country. The responsibility of a political party like the PDP is to find such Nigerians and give them the party's presidential ticket.
As a matter of fact, I believe that the issue of zoning should not be left to the vagaries of a political party like the PDP where the principle could be easily jettisoned by an incumbent president that want to perpetuate himself in power by making zoning constitutional. T here should be a provision in our constitution for the zoning of presidential office.
We are living witnesses to how some within the PDP used every trick in the book to prevent Jonathan from being declared an Acting President when late President Umaru Yar'Adua, was gravely ill. If we had zoning in our constitution, the north would have easily nominated one of their own to replace Yar'Adua when it became obvious that he cannot continue to run the country from the sick bed. It would have spared the country all the shenanigan that was the result of Yar'Adua's long absence from his duty post.
Zoning may not be the best option but it is the only option that could open the window of opportunity for great leadership to emerge from every part of the country thereby giving every zone a sense of belonging. To think that Nigerians would all of a sudden discard their primordial attachments and elect leaders based solely on merit is to my mind a big ask. Even when people use the victory of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presidential candidate of the SDP in 1993 over Alhaji Tofa of the NRC, it should also be recognized that it was a bit easier for Abiola because he was from one of the majority tribes-Yoruba.
Those that annulled the June 12 election that Abiola won even if they were largely motivated by selfish interest to do what they did, they used ethnic sentiments in large measures to create atmosphere of fear and suspicions to ensure that the campaign for the revalidation of that election led by NADECO did not achieve nationwide support.
Ethnicity, religious bigotry, nepotism, etc are our present reality and I believe that zoning is the only option for now that can provide opportunity for the diverse peoples of the zone to serve at the highest level and prove others wrong who thing that leadership is their prerogative in perpetuity. I believe that God in his infinite wisdom and mercy blessed every tribe, religion and race in equal measures with men of wisdom and sound leadership qualities.
Comments
Post a Comment