By Joy Odor
A member representing Yewa South/Ikpokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Lawal Kolawole has affirmed that South East has legitimate and moral claim to the 2023 presidency on the strength of zoning arrangement.
Mr Kolawole who is the Chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Privileges made the affirmation during the FCT Correspondents Roundtable on Monday at NUJ Secretariat Utako with the theme: 2023 and Zoning Question.
He mentioned that the failure of the political class and bureaucracy to uphold the respective provision of the constitution in federal character was responsible for the zoning formula which denied Nigeria the best of Nigerian, to exercise Presidential power.
Mr Kolawole said as a Yoruba man, he would preferred the zoning arrangement to favour the Southwest region of the country, adding the on merit.
“The South West would take it, but because we have had it, I think the South East should have been the best. This is my opinion. It is not the opinion of any party.
“This is not the opinion of the House. South South has had it. South West has had it, but South East has not had it. That is the only area in the South that is yet to have it.
“If we are looking at it on merit, it should be South East. But as a Yoruba man, it should go to the South West,” Kolawole said.
The member opined that zoning does not totally eliminate the chances of producing the best of Nigeria but limits the chances for the best and ultimately foist on Nigeria the limited options of the area the zoning arrangement favoured to produce the President.
Mr. Kolawole said Nigeria deserved her best to spearhead national development by exercising Presidential power but the zoning formula has stunted that desire amongst many Nigerians who wanted the best of her people to lead nationally and change the development Narrative.
“What I said on zoning is that we have zoning as the convention, its like it is almost becoming a tradition. But it is not a constitutional matter; either in the 1999 constitution amended or the active constitution.
“If there is sincerity in the issue of zoning, nobody would come out today from the Northern part of Nigeria to say they want to contest the 2023 presidential election of Nigeria.
“Even the PDP that started it, I am not sure it is in their constitution. If it is required in their constitution, today, Atiku will not be wanting to contest. In fact, yesterday he was in Ogun State, where he said he was going to come out soon.
“That is why I said there is no sincerity with the issue of zoning, and it is not on solid foundation, and therefore, not sacrosanct as it is by those who say that they are even practicing it.
“For instance, if you ask any PDP person today, they will say: “There is no issue of zoning, we want somebody that is competent, which is true, a competent person that can take Nigeria out of the woods, and there is no issue of zoning. That is why I said, yes, there is zoning but it is not documented, it is not something that can be proudly fought for.
“As a Yoruba man from the South West, if power shifts to the South, I will be okay with it. However, zoning itself is not what we can say can be done right. The Presidency should have gone to the South East.
“Why? South West has tasted power twice. Reason being that, I will say the late Mashood Kashimawo Olawale MKO Abiola MKO won the election and it was annulled. That was why we had Obasanjo. I should have said it was the turn of the South East but as a Yoruba man, I will say it should return to the South West” he started.
In his closing remark, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche reminded Mr Lawan Kolawole that judges and lawmakers are fundermental to the growth of development of Nigeria.
He hoped the House Member would continued to fratanized with journalists whenever called upon and to also encouraged his colleagues to do the same
.
“It is our hope that when we invite you again, you would come to talk to us as you are aware that judges and lawmakers are fundermental to the growth of development of the country” he said.
