Scrapping zonal system will collapse Nigeria - Bode George warns

While the debate on whether the zoning system should be dumped ahead of the 2023 elections in Nigeria, Chief Bode George, a political stalwart has warned that scrapping the zonal system from Nigeria's politics will adversely affect the country's democracy.

According to the former deputy chairman of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), zoning is the pillar that has helped hold Nigeria together, adding that it cannot just be abandoned as the country prepares for another round of elections in 2023.

“Generally speaking, if we are to follow the principle of rotation, the presidency should revert back to the south in 2023. Ideally, it will be good for us to keep rotation. It is what has been binding Nigeria together, and it is not unique only to us as a nation," he told Daily Sun newspaper in an exclusive interview.

“We should be careful how we treat the issue, otherwise, it is a subject that if not well handled can jeopardize the nation’s unity,” he said.

Highlighting the practice of zoning from other nations across the globe, Chief Bode was of the view that “zoning and rotation must go hand in gloves, " noting that "It is not only in Nigeria that it is being done."

“Switzerland is made up of French, the Italians, and the Germans. The French have their own capital in Geneva, the Italians in Lugano, and the Germans in Zurich. The three rotate power among themselves.

“Zoning is a novel idea in Nigeria and if anybody is talking about competence, there is no problem about that. There is no part of the country whether it is in the north or in the south where you don’t have competent people who can run the country," he said.

"But what we are talking about is an arrangement that will sustain the nation’s unity.

“It is only when we have restructured and carry out devolution of power that we can now talk about dumping zoning but without restructuring first, any attempt to dump zoning will backfire.

“It will have a negative impact on the nation’s democracy. Zoning is the pillar that holds the nation together, and any attempt to dump it may threaten the nation’s democracy.”

Meanwhile, Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has played down any rumour surrounding his political ambition in 2023.

Osinbajo who spoke at a virtual conference of the Nigeria Bar Association, said his current focus is on serving Nigeria and not about the presidential election.