A presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Sam Ohuabunwa, says Nigeria is not yet ripe to jettison the zoning system.
Ohuabunwa, who is the Convener of the New Nigeria Group, stated this at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
He explained that for now jettison zoning would not be a good idea given the country’s level of political development and ethnic diversity.
Ohuabunwa said that zoning was still needed to ensure inclusiveness, where the interest of the majority and minority would be protected.
He said that given the level of diversity, Nigeria would not have a wholesome nation if zoning, “which is like the federal character is jettisoned”.
“That is why I think the writers of the 1999 Constitution provided for the federal character.
“What is the essence of the federal character? It simply means that no single group or religious or tribal group should dominate the public space and office.
“Therefore, the federal character is applicable to the office of the president. What that means is that no one group should continue to produce the president all the time,” he said.
Ohuabunwa noted that if there was no federal character, then the civil service would have been dominated by a section of Nigeria.
He said that it was important that zoning continues until every region of the country produce a president before a collective decision could be made to abandon the system.
“Therefore, the federal character is applicable to the office of the president. What that means is that no one group should continue to produce the president all the time,” he said.
Ohuabunwa noted that if there was no federal character, then the civil service would have been dominated by a section of Nigeria.
He said that it was important that zoning continues until every region of the country produce a president before a collective decision could be made to abandon the system.
Ohuabunwa listed his mission to include creating a new Nigeria that would work for all.
“A Nigeria where the North, South, East and West, Middle Belt, the South-South, the minority and majority groups would have a sense of equity and being.”
He said that if given the opportunity every Nigerian would be a critical stakeholder in running the affairs of the nation, adding that he will restore the glory of the country to be at par with Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, China, and India.
He promised to use his experience in the private sector, including when he led the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria to develop the country.
“I led Nigeria America Chambers of Commerce, lead private sector, got involved in fashioning Vision 2010, Vision 2020, Nigeria political reform, but all that has come to naught because I can’t see the result,” he said.
(NAN)
