A lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Jonah Onuoha, has said that the policy of zoning would help to ensure a fair rotation of power amongst the various geopolitical zones of the country, albeit it remained an exclusive political arrangement by parties which is not documented in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
Onuoha, who is the Head of the Department of Political Science, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Nsukka on Thursday.
According to him, “If zoning is not in place, few wealthy members of the political party from one particular zone will continue to rule others forever”.
“Zoning of elective positions ensures fair rotation of power to geopolitical zones, senatorial districts, constituencies and wards,” he stated.
Onuoha observed that despite the fact that zoning was never entrenched in the constitution, political parties had expediently adopted the policy as far back as 1999, being a power rotation lever of seesawing elective positions across the country.
Onuoha, who is equally the Director of Centre for American Studies in the UNN, faltered sectional opinions that zoning helps foster mediocrity in high places.
“I disagree with people who say that zoning makes it possible for election of mediocres because I believe that in every part of this country, we have people who are qualified to hold any elective office.
“Whether zoning or not, the election of unqualified people occurs when money-bags and godfathers hijack the process of choosing candidates for political parties,” Onuoha maintained.
He, however, described as unfortunate a situation whereby some politicians in a particular area, after benefiting from zoning, turned around to oppose it on the basis of unconstitutionality.
“When these politicians are benefitting from zoning, the arrangement is not unconstitutional but when it is the turn of another people, it becomes unconstitutional,” he noted.
Onuoha, therefore, advised politicians to be honest and always show the spirit of sportsmanship by respecting a gentleman’s agreement, oral or written, because the nation’s constitution would not capture everything.
(NAN)
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
