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 Published
August 4th, 2010
I will start by saying that I am neither a protagonist nor a
proponent of zoning, in any form, as a means of bringing out
the best human being to lead a nation to the Promised Land.
Simply put, I do not believe in zoning as far as it relates
to production of occupants of political offices in Nigeria.
If we look up to nations such as United States of American
as a role model in democratic governance, it is only
necessary and sufficient that we try, as much as possible,
to emulate the functions of their democratic institutions.
This emulation, however, should not fail to recognize our
peculiar character as a nation; that is talking about tribe,
religion, geography, differential in levels of human capital
development and culture in general. And this is where the
proponents of zoning may have a point to make.
Having said that, I will quickly add
that it is as criminal to impose zoning on Nigerians as it
is not to abide by any form of agreement – be it oral or
written or gentlemanly - within any party members at any
point in time.
I do not oppose or abhor zoning because
I think it is an impediment to discovery of good leaders but
because I think it forms a ready tool in the hands of
mischievous and lazy individuals who are not qualified to
present themselves for elective posts. Zoning will offer
this group of people the opportunity to say that one zone
has ruled and as such it is their turn.
So what I am saying here is that
whereas it is very easy for some mischievous human beings to
quickly wriggle out of the zoning argument - by sending out
wrong information about any existing agreement - on that
matter - in the past, and using the constitution as a
bastion, it heaps - over their shoulders through out their
entire life on this earth - a heavy moral burden.
The same people who lavishly quote the
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the only
superior document on the determination of qualification for
elective post are the very shameless cartel who supervised
the affairs of this country for some dark eight years
between 1999 and 2007 without recourse to a single clause in
the provisions of the constitution during that era. Part of
the evil fall outs of those eight dark years are just
beginning to rear its ugly head. Is it not ridiculous that,
within a party, some people are saying there was and others
are saying there was not? Some then ask for written
evidence.
When some people argue that zoning is
only a PDP affair and as such a distraction, I look at them
and shudder. When others say that constitution of the
Federal Republic is superior in all this, I agree but also
shudder at the principles of their argument. When, still,
others ask whether that agreement was written down in a
paper, I feel so nauseated.
The reason I feel bad at all the
arguments against zoning - even though I do not support it -
are numerous;
a. Agreements must not all be written down on the pages
of a book. We all know that Great Britain as it is
constituted today operates both written and unwritten
constitution. And if this can be extrapolated, asking
whether there was a written version of any agreement is as
mischievous as it is immoral. I think what matters is
whether there was any agreement in any form within any party
at any point.
b. We also fail to recognize that, even though PDP is an
abstraction of any form of ideology and hugely bereft of any
morals or tenets and represents a conglomerate of some
immoral, mischievous and lawless individuals, it still
remains the biggest party in the black Africa. And it is
still the ruling party in Nigeria. So, if there is a
confidence or trust crises within them, it will either
reduce Nigeria to rubbles or make her stronger. So whatever
happens within PDP should not be seen as distraction. Every
body should be concerned.
c. Even if we see the zoning argument as a PDP affair,
good political judgment should dictate that intra Party
democracy is a very veritable part of outer democracy and a
necessary component to a flamboyant democracy. It is
important that a party that will lead Nigeria should be
populated by people who respect agreements in any form.
Even though I am not a member of PDP or
any of these ad-hoc groupings called political parties, I
remember, vividly, that in the build up to the second term
of General Olusegun Obasanjo, all the ad-hoc groups -
including PDP - used zoning extensively to woo each other.
I am sure if they are sincere to themselves, somebody like
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would tell us what, effectively, was
used to put down his intention to run against General
Olusegun Obanjo in 2003 election. But depending on his
inclination now, he may not even be willing to tell the
truth.
Part of what has held Nigerian State
down today from being a major player in human development
can be attributed to confidence and trust crises. Going
down the memory lane will reveal that Nigerians used to be
united during the fight for independence. Trust was the
wicked balm that destroyed that unity, immediately after
independence, and led to some distasteful events that nearly
consumed us in the late sixties.
Zoning in it self does not constitute
any form of impediment, as I said earlier - if judicious
implement by honorable men, but zoning would not have been
relevant if the political cabal have given themselves enough
confidence and trust and if successive rulers have taken
time to develop the country evenly. So, whereas some see
this zoning argument as mere political gimmick, I see it as
further deterioration in our democratic dispensation if it
is not well taken care of. There is nothing wrong in the
kin pins of a political party - PDP - coming together to
formulate a newer arrangement by saying that even though
there was an agreement in the past, the demise of President
Yar ‘Adua has made it imperative to tilt the agreement, a
little, just to accommodate the interest of President
Goodluck Jornathan. This would have been more honorable
path to follow were we fortunate enough to have inherited
honorable political class.
If somebody like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
was not manipulated out of PDP, there was no reason the
zoning would not have been implemented by PDP. All these
are the machinations of one man; ex President Olusegun
Obasanjo. It was because forces like that of Alhaji Atiku
Abubarka and Governor Orji Uzo Kalu would not allow him to
perpetuate his unending desire to remain in office that
compelled General Obasanjo to force Alhaji Abubarka and
Governor Kanu out of PDP. This was largely possible because
there is nothing like internal democracy in most of the
ad-hoc grouping. It is usually one man that dictates the way
things happen.
Somebody like General Olusegun Obasanjo
should not be saying that he has lost memory of any concept
like zoning. He should say what happened exactly. That is
how to be a responsible statesman. It was because the
argument of zoning was stretched out that made him start the
third term concoction that would have led all of us to an
early grave.
Because PDP is made up of high
percentage of mischievous people, they have now put the
zoning argument in the front burner instead of telling us
what they have to offer Nigerians in the form of a plausible
manifesto. When they wriggle through and produce a lame
president, we will begin to hear about 20 point agenda that
does not make sense. We are now spending energy to say
there was an agreement, there was not and if there was an
agreement where is the evidence. Is this not stupid
enough? If they will not remember what they agreed amongst
themselves, can any one of them be trusted with ruling us.
And is this not an index as to why they have ruled for over
50 years of our nationhood and there is nothing to show for
it, rather, President Jonathan is proposing 10 billion to be
squandered in celebration of the life of a stunted 50 year
old nation. I say 50 years because if you look deeply, you
will discover that it is still the same people or their
children that have planted themselves over Nigeria and have
kept destroying Nigerians.
Let me reiterate here that I am not in
any way an apologist of the zoning concept as it relates to
producing a leader for Nigeria and Nigerians, but little
things that count in life may not really be countable.
Trust and confidence between friends count a lot and is more
important than anything else in any relationship or
coexistence. Any body, who will not keep agreement -
written or oral or gentlemanly - will naturally not even
obey the constitution when he becomes a leader or he helps
to foist a leader on the people. PDP should resolve the
zoning issue in such a manner that it will rekindle trust
and confidence amongst themselves as a means of galvanizing
their jamboree so that they will be, at least, united in
cannibalizing us.
And since most PDP kin pins are so
mentally deranged as to remember what they agreed upon at
any point in time, they may very well learn to document
whatever is there agreement on any issues, not just zoning,
so that in future they will spare us stupid and painstaking
arguments.
Chris Onyishi
Lagos Nigeria
ctekchris@yahoo.com
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