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E.F.C.C, Jigawa Gov and the Rotational Presidency

Adamu Muh’d Usman

Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa state

Rotational Presidency is an art of shifting power between the north and the south, it is the zoning of the office of the President to the various geo-political zones in a bid to balance the political equation and solve the political arithmetic. The former senate president late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo once said “It takes political sagacity to fathom the political arithmetic”. Rotational Presidency or zoning as the case may be was designed, orchestrated, and schemed towards curbing the hues, cries, and agitations of marginalization by some geo-political zones and to bring about peace and stability in our polity.

Nigeria is a heterogeneous country with diverse ethnic nationalities and religious affiliations, so I think the rotational presidency or zoning as the case may be is the way forward for our country because of our differences in tribe, culture, language, and religion. When the north under the military regime held power for too long the south cried marginalization, and if you say the rotation is not needed, if the south holds power for too long on the bases of credible leadership the north will feel schemed out and will cry foul and vice versa. So to balance our differences, to settle our heterogeneity, and our ties to ethnicity, rotational presidency still remains the best for our country.

I am perfectly aware that zoning of the office of the president is not constitutional; but it is in the constitution of the PDP that propounded it. It is a gentlemanly agreement that was documented and for the fact that it was written down, agreed so it has to be adhere. But still it appears to be the best thing for our polity because of our unity and diversity in ethnicity. This is the reality.

From the proletariat, there have been zoning in the federal character of Nigeria which appeared somewhat naturally before it was even advocated by the PDP inner caucus. Right from Independence Zik is from the south as the president, and Tafawa Balewa is from the north as the prime Minister. President Shagari is from the north and Alex Ekwueme as his vice from the south. It is all zoning as M.K.O. Abiola as president from the south while Babagana Kingibe is from the north as the vice president. .

The military era zoning was also observed. Obasajo and Shehu Yar’adua, Buhari and Idiagbon, Babangida and Aikhomu. This is because you cannot fully divorce Nigerians from their societal and religious beliefs. Big multinational companies, media houses, NGOs etc have zonal offices within the various geo-political zone and you say zoning is not important.

With zoning the hues and cries of marginalization will be laid to rest, there will be peace in the country and political stability. Regionalism and sectionalism is natural in our polity and to create peaceful co-existence, mutual understanding and political stability and societal changes between the northern and southern dichotomy. Zoning the office of the President and Vice President is the answer to our political enigma.

The cries of confederation, resource control, and the sovereign national conference is all borne out of diversities in ethnicity. The best way to maintain our unity and diversity in reality is to rotate power between the various geo-political zones. Unity in diversity is our nature; it is in our culture, our language, and deposition. The university is all about unity and diversity, so let’s maintain our unity and diversity and communality in rationality. That is the way forward of our country and that is where many stand.

At this juncture and at this issue and point in time, I will give applause to Alhaji Sule Lamido the Jigawa state governor for his present and persistent stand of respecting the P.D.P constitution of zoning. Please don’t relent but keeps the ball rolling, I really relish your stand on this matter. Also, the tactics of using E.F.C.C to deprive, humiliate, intimidate and victimize the Nigerian citizens (in Jigawa) is not the best. It is only going to worsen the situation. Yes, this should not be a strategy to instill a candidate on the electorates. May God give us the ability to do the right things, at the right time and for the right purpose. May He also guide us aright. Amen.