2023: Zoning did not erode constitutional rights of candidates to contest presidential elections, says Tambuwal

In what seems like jettisoning the zoning arrangement in operation in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal has said the party, is currently not concerned about the zoning of the presidential position to any geo-political region, but on how to win the seat in the forthcoming general elections in 2023 in Nigeria.

Tambuwal, who stated this in Minna during an interview with journalists at the Niger State Secretariat of PDP, said the zoning formula adopted by the party in 1999 was the idea of the political class midwified by the government at the Centre to address the issue of the annulment of June 12, 1993, Presidential election results by the military administration of former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

He explained that the arrangement was not also done to completely erode the Constitutional rights of candidates who want to contest for the Presidential seat in any part of the country.

According to him, “there was no zoning, when you go back to our history, you can see that zoning is not our problem. The main issue is political parties throw up candidates for Nigerians and then Nigerians decided who becomes their President.”

He further argued, that “the Southern parts of the country, in particular, the South- West in 1998, 1999, the APP, in conjunction with the defunct AD worked out a ticket that saw the emergence of Chief Olu Falae and late Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi in 1999, it was a deliberate plan by the political class of this country midwified by the government in the centre to address a particular concern, the June 12, 1993 election results presumably won by the late Multi-Billionaire businessman and the then Presidential candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party’s candidate Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola of blessed memories how come when we saw the advent of COVID-19 and we’ were not applying HIV drugs to COVID-19.”

“The power shift in 1998, 1999 to South-West was to assuage a particular situation. Go back to the history of democracy in Nigeria, in 1979, NPN had president Shehu Shagari, NPP had chief Azikiwe, UPN had Chief Obafemi Awolowo, GNPP had Ibrahim Waziri and PRP had Aminu Kano, there was no zoning. When you go back to 1992,1993, SDP had Chief Abiola, NRC had Bashir Tofa, Even in 1999 Abubakar Rimi contested even in the PDP, and in 2003, people contested against a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his second term. Rochas Okorocha contested alongside former President, late Umar Yar’adua and Lt. Gen. Mohammed Gusau (rtd) contested in 2007.”

“So, the zoning arrangement made then was not made to completely erode the Constitutional rights of candidates. I have given enough on the evolution of Nigeria for you to know that it is not about zoning. And, for PDP, I recommend highly, we should be working on how to win the elections,” the former Speaker, House of Representatives, insisted.

On the alleged comment credited to him that the South-South cannot rule, the Sokoto State Governor denied the allegation, describing it as untrue and mischief from the originator.

“I have supported a South-South candidate in Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2011 and he won the election. So, how can I who had supported the South-South say that he cannot rule? How can I who has supported South-South, now say the South-South cannot produce the President of Nigeria?”

When he was asked that if he was elected, how he would tackle the issue of insecurity, in the country, the presidential aspirant said he would develop a community-based response by setting up the state police, increasing manpower and deployment of technology to address the challenge facing the country.

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