The concept of zoning within political parties plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s democracy. With the 2023 presidential elections marking the end of an era with the exit of President Mohammadu Buhari, zoning has become a major topic leading up to the polls. Will political parties in Nigeria stick to the zoning formula? Or has the time come to let go of what has been seen as an easy mechanism for nominating potential candidates?
Ruling Party’s Potential Plan
Speaking recently in an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today, Kano State Governor and major player of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, Abdullahi Ganduje, stated that the Presidency in 2023 must be zoned to the South.
While noting that the Nigerian constitution does not have provision for zoning, the governor explained that it was important to adopt it since it was strategic in winning elections.
“The Southern part of the country but there should be a consensus of the members,” he said in reaction to which zone should produce the 2023 presidency. “Zoning system even though it is not in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is a strategy for winning elections.”
Main Opposition Takes A Different Route
Meanwhile, the country’s main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed openness to supporting whichever candidate emerges victorious from its primaries regardless of the zone they fall under.
The party’s National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus while reacting to questions surrounding the eligibility of its 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, disclosed that the PDP is open to any aspirant interested in running for the presidency in 2023. “There is no room for discrimination,” Secondus said in his statement before adding that “everyone is qualified; both young, old, governors, non-governors are qualified to contest and we have the space for everyone–if you win, you become our candidate. The door is open to everybody.”
This decision comes despite the PDP’s well-known history as the originator of the zoning system which began with the election of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the South in 1999, President Umaru Musa Yar’dua from the North in 2007, and most recently, President Goodluck Jonathan from the South in 2011.
With these developments currently at play, one wonders if it is safe to finally beg the question: “Is this the end of zoning in Nigeria?”
This story is part of our new series on Nigeria where we analyse electoral and political reform in the country ahead of the next general elections in 2023.
