The Nigerian Students and Youth Congress has expressed their displeasure with the current political ideology of Zoning by political parties, insisting that it is counterproductive and an impediment to progressive development.

In a statement credited to its National President, Comr. Ekenta Obiajulu Foster, he said:

"The concept of 'Zoning' in Nigerians' political ideology is an evidence that Nigeria is at the bottom of evolutionary ladder and is not capable of making a positive difference any time soon. This social thought pattern which is evident in the average Nigerian electorate shows that Nigeria is characterized with ethnocentric reasoning which includes gross nepotism and tribalism."

Claiming that the norm has to be broken for positive change to arise in the country, he said:

"A wise man once said ' if you want to have something you have never had , you have to do something you have never done'. Over 50 years of independence, Nigerians are still not aware that the criteria on which Nigerian leaders are being elected would always be counter productive. In the past, we always gave excuses that Nigeria recently gained independence, but that is no longer the story as countries that gained independence at the same time with Nigeria and after, have far surpassed Nigeria in all areas of development."

"We can look at the likes of Malaysia and Singapore and even our own Rwanda. If Nigeria must grow, we must choose the best candidates by carefully examining their antecedents and analyzing the feasibility of their proposed political policies."

Insisting that the time for the youths and students to rise against the 'menace' is now, the President said:

"The Nigerian Students and Youths' Congress is committed to making a difference in Nigerian polity through the power of social movement and massive sensitization. The youths and students are going to decide who will rule Nigeria in the forthcoming elections, we would ensure that more youths and students have their PVCs and would come out to vote. Taking from these premises , we would support the best candidate, which would not be necessarily from the PDP or the APC, whether or not he/she appears to have the capacity to win. Change begins with me."


Comrade Ekenta Obiajulu Foster
National President,
Nigerian Students and Youths Congress