THE PARTY ZONING SYSTEM: A WAY OF GRABBING POWER BY POLITICAL PARTIES-WHY NIGERIA WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT

THE PARTY ZONING SYSTEM: A WAY OF GRABBING POWER BY POLITICAL PARTIES-WHY NIGERIA WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT

The Party zoning system is a system introduced by parties to ensure an all inclusive political system across various divides of ethnic groups. This is very evident in Nigeria with multiples of ethnic groups-majority and minority alike. This was particularly introduced by the PDP (People’s Democratic Party) in a bid to achieving the sole purpose of fairness and unity.Though after the civil war, the regional idea was chiefly advocated by Sir, Alex Ekwueme and Odumegwu Ojukwu to ensure fairness among the regions.This led to the creation of regions. According to Audu (2010: 24): Rotational presidency or zoning are not constitutional requirements and to a large extent not even democratic. However, it remains about the best option due to Nigeria’s large ethnic formation, primordial tendencies and complexity. It takes away fears that arise out of marginalization and gives everyone or group a sense of belonging. It is against this backdrop that most Nigerians would rather support the zoning arrangement as it stands today remains.

This of course is a very wonderful way of grabbing power by political parties. Though the reasons for establishing this system is very obvious but since this course has not been sincerely and fully implemented it had better be scrapped. In Nigeria for instance, the party zoning system is very unconstitutional and has no legal backing. It is simply an internal party arrangement. Since it’s a party arrangement, it shouldn’t have in any way been allowed to threaten the existence, peace and progress of the Nigerian state.

The zoning system undermines competence and encourages positional ineptitude. This, for me is the major reason why the Party zoning system should be disallowed. Every Presidential election in Nigeria has always been a tussle-a war of who gets what! Because of zoning. Many regions are torn apart and ethnic groups are divided and fight against one another in a bid to claiming true right to power! This finally gives way to high level incompetence and political backwardness of the entire state. If for example the parties (both PDP and APC) have made the elections open to everyone without regards to the zoning system, who knows? Nigeria would have left this “nowhere”it currently is.

Nigeria claim to operate the American Constitution. That is true, but with very sharp contrasting approaches. How can we claim to use same constitution why we do not see clearly that Americans makes use of their brains while our leaders play politics with their rocky-empty heads. America has about 50 states and Nigeria has 36! America has had over 44 Presidents and out of this 44,only 18 states have been represented! Where are the rest if I may ask! For me they are in those represented 18! They believe in true leadership, leadership of competence and effective representation. Every American President climbs the ladder of power with the sole aim of upholding the much revered American dignity and name! but we can’t say that about Nigeria.36 states and every state wants to rule after every 4 years! What we should do is “re-zone”our mindsets and not cling infantly and sheepishly on the Zoning formular.

Selfishness is another big clog in the wheel of our political progress. Is there any year with all the wonderful zoning arrangement in parties that the North for instance does not field a candidate for Presidency even if someone from that region is the incumbent President. A lot of persons out of greed and selfishness hold unto power and refuse to let others have a share in the political circle of the nation. Why hold tenaciously unto something that does not work? It’s madness doing that!

If the zoning arrangement in Nigeria has just been for rotation of power and all inclusive system that still works towards the development of the entire nation, then one would say it should be warmly embraced. But see how it encourages sectionalism and ethnic bigotry. It fuels regional progress and kills national interest and integration. Someone will assume office and face just his own region and abandon others and this makes the whole system sick and creates nothing but anarchy and political unrest. Other regions will keep boiling and plotting everywhere possible way to unseat the man in power and follow the rotation power to unleash terror on the other regions. This is the vicious cycle of party-zoning system. Annoyingly, this also happen in state elections, producing empty brains as Governors and leaders of several constituencies in a state.

Finally, if party zoning must be obeyed, first it has to be constitutional and backed up by sound legal processes such that if any disobeys there will be consequences and should be seen to uphold that for which it was introduced.

Thanks.

Ejike Celestine Amaechi

Final Year,Biochemistry, UNN