Newsie Events Media: #Opinion
Political power is a very delicate and sensitive issue in Nigeria. In a deeply divided and hetereogenous society in Nigeria where there’re mutual suspicion among the various ethnic groups and hostile competition among the regions, there has been palpable fear of domination even before Nigeria got her independence.
Who holds Political power has become a measure of domination and alienation as well as a source of regional and ethnic tensions. It was the need to address the controversy surrounding this issue that the idea of zoning was birthed.
Since the elites have succeeded in cementing the fabrics of identity politics, it is only expedient to adapt to our reality: the reality that Nigeria is a hetereogenous and every group needs to be carried along and given a sense of belonging for political and economic stability.
The squabbles between the northern and southern Governors over who succeed the current president, is capable of ensuring that there will be no Nigeria after 2023 if unnecessary swords drawn are not withdrawn.
The Current President is from the North and has ruled for 8 years. It is gentlemanly and fair for power to shift to the South so as to dispel the already entrenched view of a northern dominance and hegemony which has been a critical rallying point for secessionists.
Democracy is not just the Government of the majority. The idea that it solely is, is a parochial one. Democracy does not condone alienation and unfairness. A good democracy carries the minority along and provides a working system to ensure that both the majority and minority see themselves as equal partners in the state building project.
Power should return to the South so that southerners will feel that they own Nigeria too just like the North. Power should return to the South to allay fears of domination and concerns of alienation and subjugation that has filled the atmosphere in the Nigerian polity. Power should shift to the South in the spirit of fairness and cooperation.
The rift between the southern and northern governors is dangerously making it seem, albeit to the ordinary masses, that when one of your own is in power, it benefits you the more. This is not the case since 1999. Buhari has been president for 6 years and the north has suffered the most. Jonathan’s southern presidency did not benefit the south. As at the time he left power, there was no pipeborne water in his village. The south west cannot say much of the 8 years of Obasanjo either. The rotation of power is sacrosanct not to favor one region over the other or to benefit one region over the other but to demonstrate that all regions are equal partners and none is superior to the other, none is dominating the other and none owns Nigeria more than the other. There is nothing as democratic as an agreement or decision that will bring peace, unity and progress.
Since Nigerians in different regions want a sense of belonging, zoning is a great idea. This will ensure that there is no antagonizing of elected officials on ethnic or regional reasons, an ingredient needed for unity.
Again, the idea that zoning sacrifices the all important factor of merit is not entirely true. There is no region in this country that does not have capable and competent hands. You argue on the relative proportion but you cannot deny that competence is spread across all zones in the country. While it is important to zone power so as to carry everyone along, it is more important to ensure that a Merit Based Zoning (MBZ) principle is adopted in this process. This is to ensure that when it is the turn of whichever region, they have no option than to produce the best of their best.
At a time where the country is deeply divided, zoning, a merit based zoning (MBZ) system should become the order and if possible, entered into our constitution. If the Nigerian state had come to existence after due deliberation from all parties, rotation of power would have been a part of our constitution. We have a chance to get it right now.
The argument that zoning is not found in other democracies is inconsequential and irrelevant. It is time to have Nigerian solutions to Nigeria problems.
The north has had 8 years. Let the south give us her best. ©️ Caleb Onyeabor
Caleb Onyeabor is a Nigerian intellectual, an avid advocate for political justice, social justice, and economic justice. Author of Diary of a Messed Up country. Follow him on Twitter via twitter.com/caleb_onyeabor
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