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Opinion: What if the zoning controversy is a thoroughfare to deepening democracy?

By Chukwu Malachy O.

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The interesting controversies rocking the polity in respect to zoning in recent times have come with so much uncertainty. While anyone can stand for or against zoning, I align with the thought that the contestation over zoning arrangements is an avenue to strengthen our democracy.

Zoning may not have been written anywhere but has become a practice in our polity especially for PDP (and in Enugu State) particularly. I guess Politicians never foresaw this time. These days, when personal interests set in, our leaders will choose to see it from their own lenses. Couple of days ago, Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu declared his intention to run for governorship in Enugu state and in his defence, he argued that there are four cultural zones in Enugu state and his cultural zone of Awgu is yet to have a substantial stay in the Lion Building. As much as he tried to refute that there was never any zoning arrangement in Enugu state, he stylishly proposed another zoning formula of the cultural zones as against the traditional senatorial district arrangement of zoning. The take-home here is that he supports a zoning formula but not the same others may have.

A fresh debate would be that if Distinguished Senator Ekweremadu believed in the cultural groups zoning formula, why did he stay in the Senate representing two of the cultural groups (Agbaja and Awgu) and never thought of rotating the seat between the groups for nearly 20 years?

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You may argue for or against but that’s his soothing viewpoint.

Another viewpoint is that of His Excellency, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (who is a prominent proposer of zoning in the state and) who has spent 7 years representing Enugu East senatorial district in the upper chamber but has not felt the position be zoned to persons of other Local Government Areas in Enugu East senatorial district. Again, interest sways and our leaders chose the lenses they use at a time.

Broadening the discourse, at the national level; Yes, there was an initial plan of rotating the presidency which would (or may) have stood in the PDP till date if an APC didn’t emerge. One may argue that the last president produced by the PDP was from the South and it’s the turn of the North to produce a candidate for the party. However, I personally feel the “plan” can be revamped knowing what is at stake. I feel that personal interests be laid to rest and the best game be played to return the party to the centre. In his view, an Atiku Abubakar (His Excellency) may argue that the presidential seat be zoned to the North since the party has produced presidents of southern extraction for 14 years and barely had 3 years for the Northerners. Then again, a personal interest is conceived and a comforting lens is strategically but pleasantly chosen.

So in all of these zoning controversies, the incontrovertible fact is that our leaders embrace their choice when it favours them. Good news is voting and electing them lie in the hands of the people. If one says there was never a zoning agreement written anywhere, let him/her throw the hat into the ring and be tested. If one says zoning agreement was effectuated and endorsed, let him/her allow the masses who weren’t at the meeting, decide who lead them.

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If truly power belongs to the people, then the people must be left to settle these squabbles because the voice of the people is ultimate: Vox Populi, Vox Dei.

Let our democracy go through these times and emerge solidly.

Chukwu Malachy writes from Abuja

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