The principles of equity and zoning, often abused by politicians, seem set to take back stage as politicians jostle for key positions ahead 2015, Assistant Editor (South South), JOE EZUMA, writes.
Observers are agreed that there has not been any defined principle of zoning in Nigerian politics, especially as its application, even by its protagonists, has largely been selective. Some argue, in fact, that what Nigerians refer to as zoning culture is a phenomenon imposed on the people on account of political expediency and electoral necessity. It is this consideration that sees political organisations spreading their key positions to different sections of the country. Even at that, there has not been any precise definition and application of zoning. The concept has also been used interchangeably with rotation of offices.
It also takes other definitions depending on locations and practitioners. In Imo and neighbouring Abia, the principle is applied under the charter of equity. Some entities talk of understanding, while others call it agreement.
Remarkably, Nigerian politicians apply or repudiate the principle when it suits their political calculations. Perhaps, no time had the argument over zoning assumed emotive and boisterous dimension than the build-up to the 2011 Presidential election when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was involved in stormy debate over zoning or agreement, as the North tried to chisel President Goodluck Jonathan out of the race.
Some, such as Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Leader and former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Coomassie, is of the view that the zoning at the presidential level started in 1999 when the North allowed Olusegun Obasanjo to fly the PDP flag. He further stated that it was the same spirit that allowed Olu Falae, who comes from the same South West zone, to be the candidate of the then All Peoples Party (APP), thus power should revert to the North after eight years.
Some had argued, however, that the political engineering that produced all South West candidates was borne out of expediency and the need to stabilise the polity which was then in crisis of sorts.
A chieftain of PDP, who craved anonymity, told TheNiche that zoning is not constitutional, stressing that although the PDP as a party has zoning in its constitution, it is only as far as the presidential seat is concerned. He explained, however, that why people became apprehensive about zoning is the way it is understood and applied.
“If zoning, under which power will be alternating between North and South, is such that when it comes to North, it goes to North West and when it comes to South, it goes to South West, then it does not make for political stability,” he said.
The 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not recognise the zoning of political offices. Section 177 (a to d) sets condition for qualification to include that one must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, be 35 years of age, be a member of a political party as well as sponsored by such party.
Zoning confusion
In the build-up to 2015, the argument over zoning and attendant crisis have taken a different colouration, especially in the South South and South East. In Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Cross River, Rivers, Enugu and other states, the need for equity, justice and fairness clashes with selfishness and lust for power. In Delta, it was almost a settled issue that Delta North, which has not produced a governor, should be allowed to taste power in 2015, a decision that reportedly has the blessing of the governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.
But the Urhobo, one of the major ethnic groups in the state, is bent on producing governor despite that the zone (Delta Central) had produced governors in the past, including Felix Ibru and James Ibori, while Uduaghan, the incumbent, is from Delta South comprising Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko. The Urhobo ethnic group’s case is being championed by the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU). To ensure its success in that pursuit, the ethnic group is looking beyond the PDP if its bid fails. The Urhobo insistence on producing the governor in 2015 runs contrary to the Delta North’s Anioma Congress aspiration. Anioma Congress is the umbrella socio-cultural organisation of the people of Delta North comprising Ndokwa, Aniocha, Oshimili and Ika people.
Delta PDP state chairman, Peter Nwaoboshi, who is one of the drivers of Anioma aspiration, insists that justice is for the Delta North to be allowed to produce the next governor after Uduaghan. He posits that powershift to the Delta North is in line with the time-honoured principle of the PDP, which is built on equity, justice and fairness. He believes that the senatorial district has the moral standing to seek to govern the state in 2015.
In Bayelsa, senators and House of Representatives members appear to be at daggers-drawn with Governor Seriake Dickson on the issue of zoning. When state chairman of PDP, Charles Dorgu, said at a rally in Sagbama that the state had zoned the three senatorial seats and five House of Representatives seats to areas outside the lawmakers wards, little did he know that he would draw flaks that would plunge the state chapter into crisis.
The Enugu phenomenon is a case of political irony. This is where the Nsukka zone, which has been crying marginalisation from the state power centre, appears to have embarked on self-destructive internal rivalry over who becomes governor after securing the position, courtesy of Governor Sullivan Chime. In the unfolding development, Senator Ayogu Eze has been engaged in battle of wits with Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi who is said to be the consensus candidate of the zone.
In Rivers, the battle is fiercer and complex. The argument is not only on zoning; it is equally on the nature of zoning. While some argue based on senatorial lines, others argue based on Upland/Riverine divide. There are those who argue based on ethnic cluster. The confusion had lately drawn two PDP bigwigs in the state, former Governor Peter Odili and former Aviation Minister, Alabo Graham-Douglas, into bitter disagreement when Odili was quoted as saying that there is no zoning formula in the state. “As a governor for eight years, I killed upland/riverine dichotomy politics,” he added.
The controversy over zoning or power-sharing has been further compounded by governors and other elected officials seeking extension of term or other offices. Some governors seeking renewed mandate are insisting on automatic tickets, while out-going ones are making efforts to endorse successors and at the same time itching for automatic senatorial tickets from the party.
Some of the second term governors with eyes on the Senate include Chime (Enugu), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Uduaghan (Delta), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger).
In the weeks ahead, it would be interesting to see how those involved would be able to reconcile the purported drive for equity and fairness with personal ambition.