A nascent group, the Northern Political Leaders’ Forum (Adamawa State chapter) has told the proponents of the zero zoning principle of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that zoning or no zoning, the North will still win any election in Nigeria. Rising from a meeting in Yola, on Monday, the leaders, drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state, in a communiqué urged restraint on the contentious issue.

Describing zoning as “long resolved, leading to the emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo and late President Musa Yar’Adua in 199, and 2007 respectively,” it warned of the consequence of an avoidable crisis which the issue may likely precipitate.
It said “the people of the North never demanded for zoning of any political office in Nigeria.

However, they acceded to the demands of their compatriots in the South, who see zoning as the only mechanism for ensuring equal and easy access to power by every Nigerian regardless of geographical locations.
“If anybody now believes that the principle of zoning is no longer required for equal or easy access to power, or no longer relevant to the political stability of Nigeria, let them come out clearly and say so, not to resort to puerile legal and constitutional arguments.”

It further called on politicians and other stakeholders to respect political agreements and allow the principle of zoning to run its full course, warning that the preference for zoning by the North should not be misconstrued as weakness.
“North have all it takes to win free and fair elections without special arrangements,” the group boasted.
Further rationalizing its preference for zoning, the group said it was based on principle and not targeted at the speculated aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.

It said zoning will serve the best interest of the nation, regretting that there would have been no need for special political arrangement to concede power to the South in 1999, if Nigerians were ready to accept a president from anywhere. It highlighted the plight of minority ethnic groups in the country, saying they were best protected by zoning.

It also sued for tolerance among the contending groups for power in Adamawa State, urging them to imbibe the virtues of equity, fairness and justice.
“Politicians come and go, but the nation and its people will remain, engaged in creating an enabling environment for mutual peaceful co-existence, through a variety of political engineering mechanism to ensure that the nation remains politically stable, economically viable and socially virile,” it concluded.
The communiqué was signed by Prof. Musa Yakubu, Mr. Yakubu Tsala and Prof. Maxwell Gidado.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/july/21/national-21-07-2010-002.htm

I hope this election will have real competition.Its a shame that they dont have televised presidential debates so u can really see what the runners are about.

SUNNEWSPAPER, ,,,,,,,,.,.,.,.,The most useless Newspaper in Nigeria.
tshewwww.

Zoning is inherently undemocratic,retrogressive, divisive and above all myopic; hence we should do away with it while always ensuring free and fair elections so that true popular leaders voted by the majority can emerge, now thats the way forward.

North has cracked. There is confusion in their camp. I wonder how it can win in a free and fair election in this shambolic form.

If the Peoples Democratic Party initially agreed on zoning formula,in my own view its a gentle man's agreement and should be adhered to.

mogentle:

SUNNEWSPAPER, ,,,,,,,,.,.,.,.,The most useless Newspaper in Nigeria.
tshewwww.

I heard that Sun Newspapers Belong to Kalu Orji Thats why is so useless.