Senator representing Nasarawa South and chairman committee on Agriculture, Abdullahi Adamu has kicked against those clamouring for zoning the presidential ticket to the southern part of the country or any part come 2023. The lawmaker stated that the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) did not mandate political parties to zone any of the public offices to a particular region under any guise in Nigeria.
Adamu who insisted on merit stated this while responding to questions from newsmen concerning power shift during a briefing yesterday in Abuja, “My answer to that is the constitution. Nowhere in the Nigerian constitution that says should we zone any public office.
The former Governor also insisted that “There is a federal character, but not that parties must zone positions for the presidency during the election. The constitution is being reviewed. If you want a specific provision that a presidential position is zoned, you say it, and tell us how you want it to be zoned.
“You can’t just wish away a situation that is fundamental to a country. You can’t talk of merit and talk of zoning. You can’t. Let’s just go by merit. Let every party find a way of selling itself in a manner that will garner the votes that will win the election. It’s as simple as that.
Senator Adamu added that “Do we have anything like that in the American constitution? Are we more democratic than them?
It is democracy. Why do you want to change it? Wishful thinking only.
Though, he said he sympathised with the south-eastern people as they are yet to occupy that office, however, explained that the constitution is very clear about that, you can only occupy that office through a ballot box.
He said that has always been his stance during electioneering that votes must count, then if that is so why zoning the senator asked.
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