Those still clamouring for zoning in next year’s election have been reminded that the June 12, 1993 election which was won by the late Chief M.K.O Abiola and which was adjudged the fairest and freest election the country has ever had, was not based on zoning neither was that of Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

It was therefore stated that if the country should have election in 2011 which would not enthrone mediocrity in the leadership of the nation, zoning should be discarded.

These were the stand of Initiative for Standard Proactive Leadership (INSPL), a non-governmental organization committed towards ensuring that the best candidate was elected as president in next year’s election.
Speaking to Daily Sun in Aba through its National Chairman, Chief Emeka Ugo, the NGO observed with regret that the country had recycled its leaders for too long noting that time had come for the nation to clear her political roads for the youths.

According to him, “we are tired as a nation of these recycled leaders. There should be a change this time around. The country must clear her roads for the youths.” While expressing joy over what he called the understanding of northern youths in the present political equation, Ugo, however, showed some reservations over the hard stance of some older politicians from the North over the zoning issue.

He noted that the South-south, despite the fact that it is the hen that lays the golden egg, has not had a slot at the presidency. He said that having been an ardent supporter of the North since pre-independence, this was the time the North should reciprocate the good gesture.

In calling for a total support for Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency in 2011, Ugo chided some old politicians over some of their utterances which he said were capable of throwing the nation into crises. “What more do we need to say about him? Since Jonathan assumed duties, we have witnessed a lot of changes in our national life. Look at what is happening in the power sector. In just 100 days he took over, there have been steady supply of petroleum products with a stable price regime and peace that has returned to the Niger Delta. We believe he should be given more time,” he said.

The National Coordinator of the group, Dr. Okey Amadi, while observing that zoning negated all democratic norms, called on all northerners to close ranks in their support for Jonathan. The NGO, he said, would mobilize youths across the country to give Jonathan the needed support and urged them to come enmasse to Umuahia on Saturday as the president would visit Abia State on that day to receive Gov. Theodore Orji into the PDP.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/26/national-26-08-2010-013.htm