Northern leaders dump zoning, back Jonathan

Northern leaders on Thursday rejected zoning of the presidency, saying it was unnecessary in producing the next president of the country in 2011.

The leaders, at the Northern Political Summit, said at the end of their meeting in Kaduna, that the Peoples Democratic Party should allow the 1999 Constitution to guide it in picking its presidential candidate.

They advised in a statement read on their behalf by a former Minister of Information and Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana, that President Goodluck Jonathan should not be prevented from contesting the 2011 poll.

Some of the group’s members are the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bayero Nafada; a former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu; an ex-PDP National Chairman, Chief Barnabas Gemade; and two former Chiefs of Army Staff — Lt. Generals Salihu Ibrahim and Ishaya Bamaiyi.

The group also has a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Michael Anodoaka; ex-Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye; a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari; and a former Benue State Governor, Mr. George Akume, as members.

Other members of the NPS are Prince Abubakar Audu; Prof. Iya Abubakar; Senator Walid Jubril; Senator Abubakar Sodangi; Senator Jonathan Zwingina; Lt.Gen. Ishaya Bakut; Col Bala Mande ; Maj.- Gen. Lawrence Onoja (retd.); Paul Wampana; Alhaji Bala Bwari and Alhaji Yusuf Aitogu.

Another former Governor of Plateau State, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun; former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mukhtar Mansur; and ex- Niger State Deputy Governor Nuhu Zagbayi, are also members of the group.

In the statement, they also advised the PDP to ensure that the conduct of its primaries was done in a way that the best candidate emerged the flagbearer of the party for the presidential election.

They said, “The summit resolve that the zoning that produced in the presidency of Alhaji Umaru Yar‘Adua and President Jonathan is an inseparable ticket and therefore, the demise of one does not invalidate the privileges of the remaining beneficiary of that zoning.

“The summit called on the leadership of the PDP to allow superior provision of the Nigerian constitution to guide the party in producing guidelines and regulations for the conduct of primaries.”

The leaders urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that next year‘s elections were conducted in a credible manner.

At the summit, the founding Chairman of the PDP, Chief Solomon, said that zoning was not meant to be a permanent arrangement in 1999.

He said, “Zoning was never meant to be a permanent feature of our democracy. Surely, the day is coming when both our nation and our democracy would become as mature as to make zoning most unnecessary.”

Also, Nafada said that the current unfavourable political situation in which the North had found itself was a product of fate and the dictates of the constitution following the death of former President Umaru Yar‘Adua.

He added that this fate should be accepted by the North, saying that the region should focus on development rather than bickering on power rotation.

According to him, the region should see its current situation as a price that is not too much to pay in the interest of a united Nigeria.

Similarly, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Alhaji Hassan Adamu, enjoined the North to remain calm as the region would continue to play a decisive role in the emergence of the nation‘s leaders.

Adamu said, “It is on record that nobody can become president of Nigeria without the support of the North. So, it is important that we lead the debate for the unity, fairness, justice and brotherhood.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, had said that whatever method the ruling party used in picking its presidential candidate should be in the line with of the Nigerian constitution.

He said: ”Many countries of the world are fast reviewing their positions with a view to being first class players in the globalization arrangements where the dream of the late Martin Luther King of looking forward some day to being in a nation where his little children would be judged by the content of their character and not the colour of their skin holding sway. We in the North, in particular, and Nigeria, in general, should be mindful of that and go for justice, unity and national integration of our country in this Roadmap.”

But there were protests at the venue of the summit by a group which insisted that a Northerner should be elected as the next President of the country

The protesters, displaying placards denouncing opposition to zoning , were on the road leading to the International Trade Fair Complex, the venue of the summit.

They were, however prevented by the police from entering the venue as they chanted anti-Jonathan slogans.

Also on Thursday, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Abba Aji, said that a former dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd), would not contest the 2011 presidential election with Jonathan.

He hinted that the former military leader might withdraw from the race anytime from now because of Jonathan.

Aji, who spoke with journalists in his office in Abuja on Thursday, is the chairman of Friends of Democracy, a coalition of groups drumming support for Jonathan.

He said, ” Babangida is not just a member of the PDP but also a well- respected leader of the party. We respect him a lot because he has made a lot of political sacrifices before. He has also made a lot of personal sacrifices too.

“Remember he had stepped side before and at the time he stepped aside he was even in military uniform. Today, he is a seasoned politician, so he has even more reasons now to step aside. He has done it before and he will do it again.”

Meanwhile, the Action Congress on Thursday said it would field a “very qualified candidate” against Jonathan if he (Jonathan) was picked as the PDP candidate.

The Chairman of AC, Chief Adebisi Akande, at a press conference in Abuja on Friday said, “If he (Jonathan) decides to contest and is nominated by his party, fair enough; he will throw his hat into the ring and we will throw our own hat into the ring against him.”