By Alao Abiodun
The debate on zoning and President Muhammadu Buhari’s succession plan, recently sparked off waves of politicking ahead of 2023 presidential elections.
At the centre of the debate is how and from which zone political parties, and especially the two leading parties: the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would field their candidates for the 2023 general elections.
Nigerians are looking forward to who replaces President Buhari and most importantly, from which zone. Also, what has been a major issue for political discussion is whether zoning is constitutional or traditional?
Understanding zoning
Oxford Reference, an initiative of Oxford University Press (OUP), which is the largest university press in the world, defines zoning as a “political practice in Nigeria under which political parties agree to split their presidential and vice-presidential candidates between the north and south of the country and also to alternate the home area of the president between the north and south of the country.”
It further stressed that the principle of zoning was designed to ensure that neither the north nor the south of the country is ever permanently excluded from power and that no one party is seen to only represent one part of the country.
Oxford Reference further recalled that zoning was first introduced in the Second Republic, following the Biafran Civil War of 1967–70.
“In a bid to ease interethnic tensions following the conflict,” Oxford wrote, “the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) began to operate a zoning system to select party officials. Later, during a National Constitutional Conference that was convened following the annulment of the 1993 elections and the takeover of power by General Sani Abacha, a number of prominent leaders advocated rotating the presidency between the country’s six geopolitical zones (north-central, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-south, and south-west).
Beyond circulating the concept of zoning in Nigeria’s political sphere, what are the facts about zoning and specific positions of prominent politicians on zoning?
Competence over zoning
President Muhammadu Buhari‘s nephew, Mallam Mamman Daura, recently remarked on the issue of zoning, sparking off controversy across the country.
He noted that there is no need for zoning of the presidential ticket by the parties to any part of the country, thereby suggesting that competence should be given priority.
“This turn-by-turn, it was done once, it was done twice, and it was done thrice… It is better for this country to be one…it should be for the most competent and not for someone who comes from somewhere,” Mamman Daura told the BBC Hausa Service in an interview.
Also, a Second Republic politician and former governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party in Anambra State, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, lent his support to Mamman Daura’s suggestion for Nigeria’s president to be elected based on competence rather than on rotation.
Daura’s advocacy elicited widespread criticisms from top politicians and other regional interest groups such as Afenifere, Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), which insisted on zoning and restructuring.
In a counter reaction, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group berated Mamman Daura, for saying Nigerians should support competent persons in the 2023 presidential election rather than insist on rotation of power between the North and South of the country.
Also, Edwin Clark pushed back,saying that Mr. Daura is hypocritical with the truth, insisting that Nigeria isn’t matured yet to elect her leaders through merit.
Writing in The Guardian, Mr Clark stated that it was “unnecessary and insincere of… Northern politicians to say that they no longer believe in the rotation of the Presidency between the North and the South while this was the reason (in 2011) they accused President Jonathan of breaching the rotation agreement that the Presidency should rotate between the North and the South, and insisted that the North should produce the President to complete the two tenures of 8 years of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.”
Meanwhile, Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), stressed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) must create an enabling environment for aspirants to contest for the presidency in 2023.
Zoning and different ‘advocates’
Many prominent politicians have shown support for and against the zoning idea.
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo State governorship election and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, said the focus of the party in 2023 presidential election would be winning and not zoning.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, insisted on the zoning system as the only viable way of ensuring justice and equity in Nigeria.
The President-General of the apex Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, who weighed in on the raging debate on power shift, said the argument for competence against zoning is self-serving, therefore, not sustainable in the face of the electoral history of the country.
The National President of Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC), Comrade Igboayaka Igboayaka, said the Law of Equity, Justice and Fair Play demands that all regions in the country should be allowed to occupy the position of the Presidency through rotational basis.
Similarly, the National publicity secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said, that after power must have shifted to the southern part of the country, the debate on competence would follow.
Also, Gabriel Suswam, Senator representing Benue North-East Senatorial District in a recent interview, said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would still zone the office of the President to the North in 2023.
Amid controversy over the propriety of rotational presidency between North and South, Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai also said no northerner should contest for the presidency in 2023.
In addition, Tanko Yakassai, a northern leader and former Liaison Officer to former President Shehu Shagari, said, “In the interest of national stability, APC should adhere to zoning and rotation which are part of the electoral promise of the party when it was formed.
Zoning as a ‘determinant’ or ‘deciding factor’
Nigeria operates an ‘unwritten rotational presidency’ between north and south.
Of the major political blocs in the country, the South-East has not produced a president since 1999.
The ‘unwritten arrangement’ has played a key role in determining who emerges the president in the largely ethno-religious sensitive nation.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, reportedly said that the party would do its zoning at the appropriate time.
While the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, also said only zoning would determine the fate of any aspirant seeking the party’s ticket.
Also, the National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Emmanuel Ibediro, when asked about zoning, especially for the position of presidency in the APC constitution in an interview, he said, “…the constitution of our party is very simple on the modalities for the emergence of candidates of the party. I can tell you that zoning is not the number one priority on the emergence of party candidates in the APC Constitution.
“The constitution stipulates among other things that the candidate must be a member of the party. We should also continue to de-emphasise ethnicity in our selection of political leaders in this country. We should rather go for the best person for the country. To nail the question, zoning is not stipulated in the constitution of the APC.”
At the inaugural meeting of the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC), the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, noted that “If and when a zoning arrangement is made for the planned National Convention, it will be officially communicated and publicized,”
Zoning… tracing its roots
The notion of zoning was first introduced in the Second Republic, following the Biafran Civil War of 1967–70. In a bid to ease interethnic tensions following the conflict, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) operated a zoning system to select party officials.
The zoning formula was adopted by the second civilian administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Dr. Alex Ekwueme in 1979, during the first quarter of president Shagari’s second term.
During a National Constitutional Conference that was convened following the annulment of the 1993 elections and the takeover of power by General Sanni Abacha, a number of prominent leaders advocated rotating the presidency between the country’s six geopolitical zones (north-central, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-south, and south-west).
Although the principle received wide support, the proposal was rejected in favour of a simpler process of rotating the presidency between the north and south. This division was selected to reflect the country’s overarching religious cleavage between the mostly Christian south and the mostly Muslim north.
During the consecutive 15 years of northern dominated military governance, the zoning formula was forgotten for the past ten years, beginning with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian regime 1999-2007, and the administration of Shehu Musa Yar’dua and president Goodluck Jonathan 2007 to president.
This helps to explain why, in addition to operating as an informal norm, the idea of balancing power between the north and the south has also been codified by a number of parties. For example, in 2009 the zoning principle was written into the constitution of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which at that time was the ruling party.
Zoning…between the constitution and tradition
To contest for the Office of Presidency under the Constitution, the qualifications and conditions that must be met by any Nigerian aspiring to the office of President are as set out listed in Section 131 of the 1999 Constitution. That Section 131, for ease of reference, provides that: A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if – (a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of forty years; (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and (d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.
The Nigerian constitution does not provide for zoning of political leadership, key political offices at the federal and state levels exercise are ‘zoned’ for fairness within regions and ethnic groups.
Zoning of the Presidency has remained a norm-with powers constantly rotating between the North and the South regions in the country’s two-decade electoral process.
With President Muhammadu Buhari from the North serving his second and his last term as allowed by the constitution, the current debate is whether power will shift to the South in 2023.
Ahead of the 2023 elections, PDP is yet to make any pronouncement on the official zoning formula yet. Also, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to make any official notice.
PDP noted that it was, at the moment, more concerned with rebuilding the party than the zoning of 2023 presidential ticket of the party.
Daily trust reports the PDP, formed in 1998, has a history and culture of power rotation between the North and the South which is enshrined in its constitution.
The APC, founded in 2013 does not have any provision for zoning in its constitution, it is, however, believed that it would show its approval of the rotation formula at the expiration of Buhari’s tenure.
Several references have been made to the aims and objectives under Article 7, subsection 3(C) of the PDP constitution (2012 amended)…“Adhering to the policy of the rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness”
It further stated in the preamble that: “The Party shall pursue these objectives by: Ensuring that the programmes of the Party, as contained in its manifesto, conform with the fundamental objectives and directive principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; (b) Promoting mutual respect for and understanding of the religious and cultural diversity of Nigeria.”
In corroborating the zoning peculiarities in PDP, Tanko Yakassai, a northern leader said, “PDP, which is the main opposition party, has already accepted zoning and rotation as part of its constitution. So in my opinion, APC should adhere to its principles of zoning and rotation.”
Meanwhile, a United States diplomat, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the “gentleman agreement” of zoning of leadership in Nigeria may prompt a tougher electoral process in the next general elections in 2023.
Zoning will continue to be a contentious issue in Nigeria, Presently, a majority of Nigerians subscribe to zoning and rotation. However, whatever divergent expressions seen in the political horizon are matters of personal opinion which is allowed in a democracy.
- The researcher produced this fact-check per the Dubawa 2020 Fellowship partnership with The Nation Newspapers to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
Leave a Reply