Post-Ethnic Politics, the Emergence of National Ideals and the Obstacle of Zoning
The conclusions and the propositions arising from this discourse are as follows
Ethnic politics is effectively dead in Nigeria national politics: individualism has risen above ethnicity and religion. This much has been deduced from the outcome of the 1993 presidential elections to the results of the just concluded 2011 presidential primaries of the People Democratic Party (PDP), especially because of the highly charged ethnic and religious tone of the campaigns that preceded these elections, which proved ineffective in determining their outcome.
The Military has contributed to this by its termination of the second republic in 1983 which was followed by years of misrule, destruction of sectional interest through coups and counter coups led by self-interested individuals. The national realization that poverty is common to every section (region and religion) and its causes are not sectional but inflicted by ineffective leadership only expedited the destruction of sectional politics.
Nigeria's political space is now open for leaders who espouse national ideals that will motivate the aspiration and mobilization of individuals not sections. Every region and religion is now sufficiently fragmented by individual interests, hence the project to build a national identity has begun. Appeal to sectional interest is henceforth marginal and such sectional positions will cease to attract a national winning coalition in any election.
The Zoning arrangement from 1999-2007 was the result of the political class not realizing these conclusions stated above, and the outcome of the PDP primaries is an epiphany for those who continue to promote or accommodate ethnicity and religion in national politics to this reality that such appeal to sectional ideals is no longer effective in establishing a winning coalition.
Joshua Gogo
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