Dear Bolaji & All:
Any option that retains zoning as the core consideration for electing Nigeria's president in the 21st Century in my mind condemns Nigeria to the 20th Century political mode. I do not know how much good is in this for the country. We have used this approach since Independence over 50 years ago, it has not helped us. We cannot continue in the same mode and expect different results. Whatever we must do to change the 20th Century political mode to a 21st Century mode we all better start thinking about it from this moment. The 21st Century political mode must instal the most competent NIGERIANS in office at the center regardless of where they come from. My definition of a competent NIGERIAN is one whose vision is blind to race, ethnicity, religion, region, etc.; one who sees Nigeria first as belonging to all of us and ready to sacrifice anything for strengthening the unity in our diversity. A competent and committed Nigerian will see clearly that water, energy, education, food, health, roads, railways, etc must go round the entire country --- these essentials of life are not tribe or religion sensitive, rather every living Nigerian should have access to all of them.
Zoning is retrogressive, counterproductive and fails to exhibit that we Nigerians actually care about the foremost Commandments our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced in the Bible (see Mark 12:28-31). I am also sure the Holy Koran and the Sacred documents of other religions have something similar somewhere in their doctrines--- and those Commandments are that we should love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. We always go to Church, Mosque, Synagouge, etc. to worship and hear these Commandments preached every now and again, but they seem not to matter at all in the way we conduct ourselves! If we operate from the premise of these Commandments, the issue of Zoning will disappear from our political parlance. We do not trust one another because we have no love for God or for one another. We are self centered and always eager to advance our personal (and sometime very wicked) desires at the expense of others. That is why one tribe/ethnic or religious group cannot be confident that if someone from another tribe or religion is in office, he/she will care enough to protect the interest of people from another tribe or religion --- for how long are we going to remain in this mode??? It is about time we started moving away from this resource wasting and corruption promoting mode and adopt the one that will put Nigeria first. Our people deserve much better than they currently receive from the political leaders and the so called elites.
To some, what I have stated above may sound unrealistic or naive --- it would be unrealistic or naive to them because they cannot see themselves loving other Nigerians as themselves, they are thinking more of the past and forgetting that the future is greater than the past. They could not fathom that in a Nigeria where love reigns in people's heart, the resources each of the zones is clamouring to control can meet the needs of every Nigerian and make it possible to increase our productivity to generate a lot more than we currently have. A Nigeria where love reigns in people's heart can apply its intellectual property to explore its environment and develop some unique capabilities that will project the country globally as the first in history to advance knowledge in such a sphere of human endeavor.
Let us think together and use the benefit of our exposure to other economies around the world to convince Nigerians that we can actually do better. The path to greatness lies in fashioning out a new direction that moves us away from tribal, regional and religious politics to one that will put NIGERIA FIRST. The older generations may be harder to convince, but it should be easier to convince the younger Nigerians ---- they are the leaders of tomorrow! In your own way, do your best to play a positive role in this challenging task --- argue against zoning, promote GODLY LOVE, COMPETENCE and COMMITMENT. If you cannot do any of this, it is much better to do nothing than promote Zoning for Nigeria. You will not be helping matters by doing the latter.
Be blessed, Albert
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From: alukome@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 12:32:42 -0500
Subject: [NaijaPolitics] Re: Jonathan in Secret Talks with Northern Leaders •Atiku: There'll be vacancy in Aso Rock
Dear AllThe information below shows the gamut of contradictions in the present power-play in Nigeria - not just for 2011 but for 2015 and beyond.Please come with me.....................
- GEJ's Personal Option is predicated on his being an incumbent; on completing UMYA's term; on the repudiation of zoning; and on the plea that the South-South (being the economic cash-cow of the country) should be "given a chance" to rule the country.- the Northern Consensus Option 1 (by one set of politicians, led by Ciroma, Atiku, IBB, etc.) is predicated on the fact that 1999-2007 was the Southern turn, and that 2007-2015 was supposed to be the Northern turn based on a PDP zoning arrangement - until UMYA's untimely death interposed itself, but that his death should not upturn that apple-cart.- the Northern Consensus Option 2 (by another set of politicans, including some Northern governors) has been predicated all along on the assumption that (a) GEJ should run (and win), but should rule for ONLY ONE TERM, whereupon (b) the North can in turn run its full 8-year term (2015-2023). The Northern governors with greatest promise of presidential run later on support this option, now that they are not in the running NOW.- the South-Eastern Consensus Option 1 is to support the Northern Consensus Option 1, with the provision that a SE-vice-presidential candidate NOW will most likely emerge as the 2015 President, assuaging a vacuum in South-Eastern political psyche.- the South-Eastern Consensus Option 2 is to support the Northern Consensus Option 2 Part a but not Part b. The argument will be that ONLY the SE has NOT tasted the presidency on a geo-political rotational basis, and so should be president come 2015.- the South-South Consensus Option 1 is to fully support GEJ's Personal Option, particularly the "cash cow" argument.- the South-South Consensus Option 2 is to support Northern Consensus Option 1, but more out of worry that should GEJ not win either the PDP primaries or the general election, that would damage South-South (and other minorities') chances of being president for a full term for a long time to come.- the South-West Option is to Siddon-Look, I think. No matter what happens, that GPZ may not be in the running for anything presidential until 2023 or 2027 - unless of course some revolutionary thinking intervenes! :-)And there you have it.Bolaji AlukoReading the tea leavesNot drinking them_____________________THIS DAYJonathan in Secret Talks with Northern Leaders
•Atiku: There'll be vacancy in Aso Rock
By Imam Imam in Lagos and Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 12.07.2010
President Goodluck Jonathan has been holding secret talks with key Northern political leaders over the way out of the zoning crisis and is weighing the option of serving just one term in office, THISDAY can report.
Also yesterday, former presidential aspirant, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, moved to reopen the zoning controversy when he wrote Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, threatening to "reconsider" his membership of the party if zoning is not adhered to.
Northern leaders, including governors sympathetic to Jonathan, have proposed the option of one term and a return of power to the North in 2015 to reduce the tension in the polity and create a "peaceful atmosphere" before the 2011 elections.
THISDAY learnt that General TY Danjuma and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, are also involved in this move which has been considered as a "political solution" to the controversy.The major obstacle to his outright endorsement by the North, according to THISDAY sources, is the fear that he may seek a second term in 2015, thereby keeping the region out of presidential power for nine years.
Information available to THISDAY indicates that the power brokers have agreed in principle to support Jonathan's aspiration on the condition that he would in turn commit "in writing" to support a Northern candidate to succeed him in 2015.
"The naked truth is that we cannot stop President Jonathan from running," a traditional ruler told the newspaper yesterday. "No matter the argument we want to make, it will be difficult to ask a sitting president to vacate office when it is within his constitutional right to run. We also do not want to damage our relationship with the South-south which is as old as Nigeria."
He said, however, that the president should also consider the political dilemma of the North as it would be "unfair" to keep power in the South for 17 out of 20 years if Jonathan seeks re-election in 2015."From 1999 to 2019, that is if Jonathan seeks re-election, it would mean the South ruled for 17 years while the North ruled for only three years, between 2007 and 2010. It is therefore commonsense for us to expect the president to spend only one term and go in the interest of national unity," he said, confirming that the Northern power brokers had already held discussions with the president on the issue.
THISDAY also learnt that some of the emirs and leaders of thought made their positions known in various meetings with the Director-General of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation, Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, during his visits to the states in the North as part of his mobilisation tour to states ahead of the PDP presidential primary.
The newspaper could not confirm if Jonathan was well disposed to the one-term option, but he is said to be seriously considering it."I can confirm that the president himself is not averse to it because he believes one term is enough to make an impact," a political associate of the president told THISDAY. "His belief is that seeking second term is one of the reasons many leaders are afraid of taking tough decisions so that they could be re-elected into office."
Jonathan's decision to stand in the presidential election was based on the argument that he and Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua were elected on a joint ticket in 2007 and he should be allowed to serve out the two terms.
THISDAY gathered that many of the Northern governors believe that if they support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2011, it would signal the death of their own hopes of being president.
However, it is believed that if Jonathan agrees to the one-term option, every aspiring Northern governor would have an equal chance of succeeding him in 2015.Babangida, in his letter to Nwodo, said "the judiciary has made its pronouncement, our duty is to comply," referring to a judgment of an Abuja High Court, which acknowledged the existence of zoning arrangement in PDP but stated that it cannot enforce its application, thus failing to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2011 poll.
Babangida in a letter dated December 6, 29010, which he personally signed, said the verdict was only open to one interpretation that zoning exists within PDP and that if the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) had any doubt, it had been cleared.
He said the ruling was binding on the party's National Working Committee (NWC) and every member of the party including President Jonathan, threatening that if the party had become so helpless, many of them would have no alternative but to reconsider their continued membership.Responding to the letter last night, Nwodo said he would present it to the party's NWC for deliberation.
The letter is entitled "Challenges of the Judgement of High Court of the Federal Capital in Suit No. FCT/HC/ 2425/2010/- Sani Aminu Dutsinma Vs PDP, Re: Rotation and Zoning of Party and Public Offices".Babangida said in the letter: "As you are well aware, some controversies have, for sometime now, arisen over the decision to jettison the principle of zoning as enshrined in the constitution of the party.
"It is my view, and that, I believe, is the view of many public spirited, patriotic and responsible members of our party that to do so would violate the provisions of Section 7.2(c) of the constitution of the PDP, which provides as follows:
"In pursuance of the principles of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels."He said the above section of the PDP constitution was further amplified by paragraph 2(c) of the preamble to the said constitution which provides that: "To create socio-political conditions conducive to natural peace and unity by ensuring fair and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, to conform with the principles of power shift and power sharing by rotating key political offices amongst the diverse people of our country and devolving powers equitably between the federal, state and local governments in the spirit of federation."
Referring to the court suit, IBB said that the above provisions of the party's constitution relating to rotation and zoning came up for interpretation before Justice L. H. Gumi, Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The former military president referred to some of the provisions of Article 7.2(c) of the 1st Defendant's constitution 2009 as amended, which he said recognises the principle of zoning and rotation of party and public elective offices.The said article, he said, is still subsisting and binding on the party, its organs and members.
He told Nwodo: "As a founding member of the party and in fact as one of its principal officers at the time, and as its present chairman, no one is in a better position than yourself to understand and to execute the party's constitution."It was not too long ago that you were elected, almost unanimously, as chairman of our party. It was a time of crises when there were agitations for reform. You were elected precisely because we were all convinced that you had both the wisdom and the courage to restore the party to the path of truth and justice.
"Under your leadership, this issue of zoning and rotation of offices was discussed by the NEC of the party and the committee came to the conclusion that rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices is a policy of our party – a policy enshrined in the constitution of the party.
"Having come to that conclusion it was the duty of the committee to enforce it. The duty of the committee in that regard was made clear by the learned Chief Judge when he declared: 'It is domestic issue and not such as would be justiciable in a court of law. The power to nominate and sponsor candidates to an election is vested in a political party and the exercise of this right is the domestic affair of the party.'
Babangida added: "If, in the past, the NEC had any doubts as to the meaning of the provisions of the relevant sections of the constitution relating to these matters, such doubts have now been resolved by the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the suit above-mentioned. It is clear from the said judgment that the provisions of the constitution are so clear as not to require the assistance of judicial interpretation in order to understand them.
Babangida said: "Whatever doubts the NEC of the party may have had have now been removed. Every member of the party is required to comply with the provisions of the party constitution. And so is the president who is the leader of the party.
"As great as the office of President is, we should never forget that it does not precede membership of the party. On the contrary, it is membership of the party that precedes the office of President of the Federal Republic so far as the president was not elected as an independent candidate."And so I urge the NEC of the party to enforce the constitution of the party in its totality in the forthcoming election. To do otherwise is to condone this attempt at a gross and deliberate violation of the constitution of the party. To do otherwise is tantamount to a declaration that the NEC of the party rejects the principles of equity, justice and fairness enshrined in the PDP constitution."
Also yesterday, former vice-president and presidential aspirant of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday took issues with former Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Anthony Anenih, who said there is no vacancy in Aso Rock by 2011.
Atiku asked Nigerians to discountenance the former Works Minister, saying there is vacancy at the Presidential Villa and that a brand new president will emerge by May 29, 2011.The former vice-president who is the consensus candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) in PDP described Anenih as a political "dead duck," struggling for relevance.
In a statement by his campaign organization, Atiku said Anenih is no longer taken seriously because of his antecedents.
He said: "Nigerians should be wary of the utterances of Anenih. The sovereignty lies with the people and not with Anenih. He does not have the mandate to speak on behalf of the people who are yet to cast their votes in the 2011 elections.""No Vacancy," Atiku said, was the same battle cry Anenih used to win favour with the late Gen. Sani Abacha, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and now Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
The former vice-president wondered how Anenih who he said had no political space in his home state of Edo "because of his widespread unpopularity can now promise the presidency to someone else".Atiku described Anenih as a drag on Nigerian democracy, stating that it is ridiculous to describe the presidency not vacant when the President himself has pledged to conduct free and fair elections.
He said: "If indeed, the presidency is not vacant, then there is no reason to conduct a presidential election in 2011 because the winner is already known according to Anenih's odd theory of democracy".
The former vice-president warned President Jonathan to distance himself from Anenih and his ilk or risk losing credibility in his avowed commitment to free and fair elections in 2011.
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