Zoning: Northern governors may declare stance tomorrow

Written by The Punch Monday, 26 July 2010

The Northern Governors Forum is expected to reconvene in Kaduna, Kaduna State on Tuesday to take a common position on zoning of political offices by the Peoples Democratic Party.

A statement by the Chairman of the forum Dr. Babangida Aliyu and the Coordinating Chairman of the secretaries of the governments of northern states, Dr. Mohammed Yahaya, contained this information.

The meeting is coming a day ahead of a similar one on Monday (today) by their counterparts in the South-South.

The NGF had earlier this month met but directed its members to consult widely with stateholders on the issue of zoning ahead of Tuesday’s summit.

But investigation on Sunday by one of our correspondents in Minna, Niger State, revealed that the positions of member states on zoning varied, as states controlled by the All Nigerian Peoples Party had resolved not to have anything to do with the contentious matter.

A source said, “ANPP governors will not have anything to do with zoning. It is a PDP affair. Northern Governors Forum is not a PDP meeting point; so PDP cannot use the forum to look for solution to its self- created problem.”

PDP governors are also said to be divided on zoning. Three PDP governors from the North-Central had publicly declared their position for the discontinuation of the controversial policy.

A governor from the North-West and another from the North-East have also thrown their weights behind the plan by some PDP stalwarts to jettison zoning.

Investigations also indicated that the Presidency had reached out to some of the governors in what another source claimed was to “further polarise” them.

The source, who is an associate of one of the governors in support of zoning, lamented on Sunday, what he described as “the un-bearing influence of the Presidency and anti-zoning forces on some of the PDP governors seeking a second term.”

He said, “The anti-zoning forces are dangling carrots to some of our governors seeking second term. It is sad that the wish of the people of the region may not be the outcome of their meeting on Tuesday.

“Whatever is their plan, we have resolved to stand by the zoning policy. All the elected officers in the country today are beneficiaries of zoning policy. Why must we shift the post when we are in the half time of the match? The North will rise against anything short of zoning for next year elections.” 

Governors in the South-South and leaders are, however, expected to meet in Port Harcourt on Monday( today) to chart a political direction for the zone ahead of the 2011 general elections.

Each of the six states is expected to send 50 delegates to the summit that will also be attended by former and present National Assembly members, elderstatesmen, the leadership of state Houses of Assembly as well as community and youth leaders in the zone.

The agenda of the meeting which is at the instance of the South-South Governors Forum, was not stated in the circular to the delegates.

Our correspondents, however, gathered on Sunday that zoning and the future of President Goodluck Jonathan in the unfolding political scenario in the country would dominate the discussions by the participants.

Sources in Calabar, Cross River State and Warri, Delta State, said that the summit was convened to create an opportunity for all the delegates to elaborately discuss and make inputs into the position of the zone on the 2011 elections.

One of the sources said, “The SSGF had disowned zoning and endorsed Jonathan to contest the presidential election at a recent meeting with him (Jonathan) in Abuja, but the invitees would, during the meeting on Monday (today), formally adopt the position of the governors.”

An aide to one of the governors, who confirmed this development, said that the governors would reaffirm their support for Jonathan by asking him to formally declare his interest in the presidential election in 2011.

He added, “The governors of the zone convened the meeting and invited the leaders and stakeholders of the zone to deliberate on the controversial zoning arrangement by the Peoples Democratic Party and the eligibility of President Jonathan for the 2011 election.

“Although the governors and leaders of the zone had made individual pronouncements on the issue of zoning and Jonathan’s presidency, the zone is going to take a unanimous position on the matter on Monday (today). 

“The zone is going to condemn zoning and may adopt the President as the presidential candidate in 2011.”

One of the invited South-South leaders, Chief Edwin Clark, said on Sunday that he had already moved to Port Harcourt for the meeting.

Another delegate from Cross River State, who asked not be named, added that the essence of the summit was to show solidarity to Jonathan and to sell his candidature to other parts of the country.

He said that the summit was also to demonstrate that there was no crack in the South-South regarding the candidature of Jonathan.

He said, “We have agreed to be cheated because we know that if Jonathan runs and wins the presidency in 2011, the argument in the future will be that the South-South has taken its slot. We know that a slot is supposed to last for eight years, but we are ready to sacrifice two years out of the eight years.

“It is a big sacrifice, but we don’t mind as far as Jonathan is allowed by our party to contest. This opportunity is for the South-South and the entire Niger Delta and we are all united to ensure that it is actualised. We are not relaxing and we won’t allow sectional interest to deny us the opportunity of redressing the wrongs in the Niger Delta.

“The Port Harcourt summit will appeal to the apostles of zoning to shelve the idea in the interest of development and growth of democracy in the country. It is going to be a large gathering and each state is expected to send at least 50 delegates.

“We will use the Port Harcourt summit to communicate the qualities of Jonathan as a breed of the South-South to other Nigerians. Since he became the President, queues have vanished from filling stations and things are better. It is only commonsense to give him another four-year opportunity to show what he can do in the interest of this country.”

The governors in the South-East had held a similar forum, where they resolved that none of them would vie for the Presidency in 2011.

However, a northern group, made up of prominent politicians at its meeting in Abuja, insisted on the retention of zoning. The participants at the meeting, included a former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar and ex-President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.