The Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has said that he does not support zoning, as Nigeria is a country where qualified purpose-driven leaders come from all regions in the nation.
The Governor stated this in an interview with Channels Television on Sunday evening.
Though Fayemi said he was not in support of it, however, he understands the position of those who do.
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He said, “I am not an advocate of zoning, [but] I understand why those who feel marginalized will want that to happen. I also understand that in a country that is multicultural, multi-religious, and multi-ethnic; one of the equilibrating mechanisms is to ensure that those in leadership represent the mosaic that the country is.
“That, for me, is not something to be confused about. I am strongly of the view that excellent Nigerians come from all part of Nigeria. There is no place where you are looking for qualified purpose-driven leaders that you will not find.
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“If that’s the reason Gov. David Umahi has come to the party, he is very well within his rights to aspire to be President. I have heard from him directly, and he made it clear that he is not seeking a Presidential ticket. There is no reason you won’t find candidates from all over Nigeria when you get to that stage in 2023.”
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What they are saying about Zoning
As Nigeria draws closer to the end of President Buhari’s second term, the talk of zoning has returned to the political discuss table. Last month, Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna stated that zoning won’t solve Nigeria’s political issues, as everyone deserved an equal opportunity at governance.
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“Zoning in political parties cannot solve the economic problems we are facing. Selecting the best person to get the job done will benefit everyone,” El-Rufai said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi said last week stated that he supported zoning as “agreements need to be honoured.”
He added, “It is a difficult question for me to respond to. I just believe that the zoning which was done in the North and South should be respected.”
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