2023: PANDEF slams Atiku, insists zoning cannot be ignored

By Oluwaseyi Lawal On Feb 14, 2022

The Pan Niger Delta Forum has stated that in a varied and complex society like Nigeria, zoning and rotation of important political offices cannot be ignored ahead of the 2023 general elections.

On Monday, PANDEF issued a statement titled, “PANDEF’s Reaction to Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s Statement on Zoning,” in response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s allegation that the country’s constitution does not recognize zoning.

Atiku had criticized the request for the People’s Democratic Party to zone its presidential ticket to a specific region of the country during a meeting with members of a group called ‘Let’s Fix Nigeria’ last Thursday.

The suggestion for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential ticket to be zoned to a specific region of the country was criticized.

“Fundamentally, the Constitution says all of us can run. The Constitution has not barred any one of us. There is no zoning in the Constitution; there is none. I was a member of the constituent assembly that drafted the current Constitution and there was nothing like that,” he stated.

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On Monday, PANDEF National Publicity Secretary Hon. Ken Robinson said Atiku’s claim was unjustified in light of the country’s current circumstances, adding, “It is rather unfortunate that the former Vice President came to such a conclusion.”

According to him, Atiku is well aware that his statementis in violation of well-established and justifiable protocols and conventions that have contributed to the polity’s great understanding, peace, and stability.

“Truth is, the narrative that there is no zoning in the nation’s Constitution is a conscienceless mockery of our democratic evolution, and indeed, the country’s constitution. It bears underscoring that Nigeria’s Constitution, though flawed, has ample provisions that emphasize inclusiveness, fairness, and equity.

“Section 14(3) of the Constitution (as amended) provides that “the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or any of its agencies.” The intent and purpose of this section are precise and explicit.

“PANDEF, accordingly, further calls on all political parties to zone their presidential ticket to the South; any political party that does otherwise shall not have our support in 2023.

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other northerners expressing interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 ought to understand that their desire flies in the face of natural justice.

“It would be, therefore, sufficient to implore former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the other northerners to shelve their ambitions now and support the emergence of credible individuals from the south as presidential candidates of their various political parties. Anything otherwise would be undignifying and injurious to national concord,” Robinson said.