Aluu Vincent

“Man is by nature desirous of power. Power is powerful and sweet. Man not only likes to be at the theatre of power, he seeks to be at its centre and keep it. The only thing that makes him relinquish power is zoning or power shift” Anonymous

The times are indeed interesting as Nigeria once again prepares for its general elections in 2023 to produce the next set of leaders that will pilot the affairs of the people for the next four years. At the front burner of the nation’s political discourse is the issue of where the next set of leaders will come from. Inherent in this discourse are the issues of party politics and zoning/power shift which are two very important elements of any liberal democracy that no one can brush aside with a wave of the hand in a primordial state like Nigeria.

The practice of modern democracy would be totally impossible without the existence of political parties as it breeds various forms of relationship or co-existence within the polity itself, promotes peace and stability and prevents violent conflict. The zoning policy/power shift is also important like the political parties in a primordial democratic state like Nigeria.

The late Abacha underscored how important the issue of zoning was when he said, “the problem of Nigeria is with the political class who are the major political players. We must play politics the way it is; not politics of eat alone, not politics of animosity, not politics of ethnic or religious sentiment. Once it favours our politicians, they are ready to exploit it at the expense of others. That is why we came up with the issue of zoning, power rotation and 6 geopolitical zones. So, the question of majority and minority is absolutely immaterial. It is now the question of quality, and the leader with the right capacity and attitude from each zone to step up and lead. The question of marginalisation is addressed as no one feels cheated since there will be space for the 6 zones at the central table”.

In his words, Simbine (2002: 34) captured that: zoning formula seems to fit into the heterogeneous and federal nature of the Nigerian state, helping to accommodate all groups as much as possible and therefore reducing complaints of domination and or marginalization. To this extent, it helps to make the system more inclusive (of identifiable groups), and therefore more supportive of the democratic culture.

To further buttress the importance of zoning policy/power shift, Agbakoba (2011) posited that “the call to abolish zoning seriously underestimates and ignores the complex political character of Nigeria. Federalism is the only known political system that accommodates divisions and diversity; through zoning/power shift the problem of divided society can be abated.

Cognizance must be taken of the fact that the issue of zoning in party politics dates back to the Second Republic when the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) operated the zoning formula as a strategy for the re-unification of the country after the civil war. Then in 1995, during the General Sanni Abacha Constitutional Conference, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Chief Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, supported by other Southern politicians and members of that conference, championed the cause of rotating the presidency among the six geo-political zones. The division of the country into geo-political zones was for the purpose of rotational presidency after the annulment of June 12 elections. This has continued to be applied unabated. From the foregoing, it can be deduced that zoning/powershift ensures the continuity and integration of the Nigerian state, serves as an act of balancing conflicting demands and one of the requirements of nomination of candidate in order to embrace the principle of federal character in a cleavage society.

The framers of the constitution of Nigeria understood the structural imbalance inherent in Nigeria’s governance system and the fact that one zone can hold power and authority at the expense of another. This was why the issue of federal character principle was enshrined in the constitution as a precursor for zoning/power sharing. Zoning policy as the federal character principle is used for sharing of political offices and appointments. This is seen as the acceptance and perpetuation of Nigeria’s disunited character, causing disaffection and alienation within the rank and file, and sometimes resulting into conflicts within the parties over which group gets what, and/or the value attached to one position or the other.

So, in the 1979 and later the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, Federal Character principle was prescribed at Section 14. Section 14 of the 1999 constitution presupposes that …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 in any of its agencies.”

An examination of sections 147, 171, 217, 218-219 of the Constitution will showcase the high premium the Constitution places on the strict adherence to the principle of federal character. Section 147 (2) gave the president the power to appoint Ministers, subsection 3 of section 147 makes it mandatory for the president to conform with section 14(3) on the principle of federal character in making his appointments of ministers by ensuring that at least one Minister comes from each State. Section 171 of the constitution empowers the President to appoint persons to occupy office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Head of services of the Federation, Ambassadors, High Commissioners or other principal representatives of Nigeria abroad, Permanent Secretaries in any ministry or Heads of any Extra-Ministerial Department of the Government of the Federation. Section 217 of the Constitution established the Armed Forces of the Federation while subsection 3 of section 217 of the Constitution specifically mandates that “the composition of the Officer corps and other ranks of the armed forces of the Federation MUST reflect the federal character of Nigeria.

Section 218(2) of the Constitution confers on the President the power to appoint the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and the heads of other branches of the armed forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly. However, Sections 218 (4) (b), and sections 219 (1) (b) empowers the National Assembly to with respect to the power conferred on the President to appoint to the positions referred to in section 218 above to by an Act, establish a body which shall comprise such members as the National Assembly may determine and which shall have powers to ensure that the composition of the armed forces of the Federation shall reflect the federal character of Nigeria. Section 8 of the Federal Character Act gives the commission powers to work out an equitable sharing formular, provides for enforcement of the law and prosecution of defaulters. This shows that the Constitution regards the principle of federal character as the fon et erigo, the sine qua non and the fulcrum if the unity, harmony and loyalty to Federal Republic will be guaranteed. It is based on the above that key elective and appointive positions such as President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker Secretary of the Government of Federation (SGF) and Head of Service (HOS) and even Service chiefs are zoned to various geo-political zones.

Example abound where zoning has been applied. In 1999 when democracy came on board former President Obasanjo was from the South West, the Vice President was from the North East, Senate President from the South East while the Speaker, Head of Service and SGF were from the North West, North Central and South-South respectively. During the late Umaru Yardua era, the president was from the North West, the Vice President was from the South-South, Senate President from the North Central while the Speaker, Head of Service and SGF were from the South West, North East and South East respectively. The same zoning was applied during the Jonathan era. While the president was from the South-South, the Vice President was from the North West, Senate President from the North West while the Speaker, Head of Service and SGF were from the South West, North East and South East. However, this pendulum changed for the worse following the coming on board of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the history of democracy in Nigeria and application of zoning and rotation of offices, the Buhari/APC beginning from 2015 represents an era of gross abuse of the federal character principle and the zoning formula. For example, President Buhari is from the North West, the Vice President is from the South West, the Senate President is from North East while the Speaker is from the South West same as the Vice President. Also, Secretary to Federal Government is from the North East, while the Head of Service is from the South West. A cursory look at the list shows that two geopolitical zones- South-South and South East are conspicuously left out with no position. This of course is in fragrant defiance of the federal character principle and other relevant laws.

Unfortunately, as the 2023 election draws closer, most of our leaders especially those who have benefitted from zoning and power sharing are the ones drumming support for its abrogation. This goes to show that when a man is absent at a funeral, he will commence exhuming of the corpse from the leg. Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State Governor who became Speaker House of Representatives through zoning and power sharing now see it as a wrong principle and should be discarded. “My presidential bid is above zoning and other considerations.” Also, former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar who wore the number two citizen’s shirt for eight years through zoning says there is no zoning in the 1999 constitution. An elder does not stay at home while a she goat is allowed to put to bed on its tethers. It is an abomination.

The statement of these leaders and others have heated the polity and pitched the North against the South with the South insisting that zoning and power sharing must be upheld as a matter of morality, equity, precedence, law and justice. The Southern Governors Forum and Southern/Middlebelt Forum and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) have also risen in support of zoning. While the ruling All Progressives Congress have spoken in favour of power shift to the South by electing a party chairman from the North, the Peoples Democratic Party seems to be foot-dragging on the issue.

Although, PDP has elected a Northerner as its Chairman, there seem to be discordant tunes as to where the presidency will be zoned to. A Committee headed by Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom was set up to looking into the viability or otherwise of zoning. Having submitted its report to the leadership of the party, there are insinuations that the party may have dumped zoning and thrown the contest open to all zones citing numerical strength of the North and given everyone a sense of belonging. How this will provide level playing ground for all contestants and victory for the party in 2023 seems neither here nor there. Will the party disobey its own rule in Article 7 of its constitution or will it allow reason to prevail?
While all these dramas are playing out, it must not be lost that the South East is the most qualified zone in the South to take a shot at the presidency having not occupied the office for decades. It is on record that between 1999 to 2007, a South Westerner, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was President while between 2010 to 2015, a South-Southerner, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was President. It follows ordinarily that as power rotates back to the South, the South East should be supported by other zones to clinch the coveted seat for the sake of equity, justice, fair play and morality. That seem to be a herculean task as we have seen dissenting voices from the South West warming up for the plum job.
Interestingly too, the zone seems to be finding its feet by closing ranks.

The Governor of Imo State, Chief Hope Uzodinma hosted a meeting of leaders of the zone in Owerri with a clarion call for the South East to be considered using same parameters used in considering the South West, South-South and other zones. Aspirants from the South East are strategizing to ensuring they win the support of party leaders and delegates. Few days ago, four of the contestants, Mr. Peter Obi, Anyim Pius Anyim, Mao Ohuabunwa and Nwachukwu Anakwenze said they are united for a common cause for the zone. At a meeting over the weekend in Abuja, they said they are united for a common cause for the zone. Reading out decisions reached at the said meeting, Senator Anyim said, “We have agreed to work together as a team and that we will work together to ensure that a South Easterner emerges as PDP flag bearer,” he said. We intend to consult with other zones on this issue and it is based on fairness and equity.”

In a letter to the leadership of the APC, Chief Doyin Okupe wrote, “It is the truth that the established convention is that power must rotate between the North and the South. Not between the zones. Hence a President of northern extraction follows that of Southern extraction and vice versa. Any consideration outside of this is foul, untrue and inimical to the unity and stability of our nation. It is equitable that once the above stands and power is conceded to the south, the next president must come from the South East. This is because in the South only the southeast is yet to produce a civilian president”

It remains to be seen how all these will play out. Denying the South East, the opportunity to take a shot will be one denial to many that will further deepen the cry of marginalisation and deep-rooted hatred against the Igbos for daring to go to war against Nigeria. The country will no doubt move on but at what expense will this take place. Only voice of reason can prevail on other zones to do the needful by allowing zoning and power sharing principles to decide who gets what, when, how and why. That has been the norm and rule that has kept this country together. Do you change the goal post in the middle of the game? Only posterity will tell.

Deacon Vincent Aluu, research scholar is a Public Affairs Analyst and Publisher of Naija Eye Witness News. 08036688375