The People Democratic party PDP, All Progressive Congress as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rejected Buhari’s Nephew Mamman Daura call to end the zoning system in choosing the area President will emerge in Nigeria.
Mamman Daura has suggested that that political parties should jettison zoning and dwell on competence as a criterion for fielding candidates for the 2023 general election, that there was no need for zoning of presidential ticket to any part of the country.
Daura said competence should be given priority in the choice of presidential candidate in 2023. But the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political party upon which President Buhari reached his political pinnacle, rejected the call.
The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, told our correspondent in a telephone chat on Wednesday that the party would do its zoning at the appropriate time. “That is Mamman Daura’s opinion.
“Everybody has their own opinion and right to say ‘this is how I want the system to go’. “Everybody can come up with his view. “We have different people who have come up with different opinions on this matter.
“But it is not a big deal. “At the appropriate time, the party will sit and do its zoning formula, just like any other party. “So, it is not a problem,” the APC said. Similarly, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, said Daura’s opinion or call is not binding on the party.
“It is his personal opinion and it is not binding on the PDP as a party. “The PDP is an organised party which appreciates zoning. “So, at the appropriate time, we shall come up with our zoning formula which will define where the national chairman will come from and where our presidential candidate will come from,” he said.
Igbo Presidency: Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura under fire over comment on zoning
Apex socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has criticized Mamman Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, over his position on power shift ahead of 2023 general elections.
Mamman Daura, a close relative of President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday, while reacting to claims by Nigerians that he dictates and imposes decisions on the President during an interview with BBC Hausa Service, stated that Nigerians should always go for competence in picking their leaders.
Daura had said, “This turn by turn, it was done once, it was done twice, it was done trice.
“It is better for this country to be one, it should be for the most competent and not for someone who comes from somewhere,” he said.
However, in a release signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Chuks Ibegbu, challenged Daura to also ask for competence in all institutional aspects of governance.
Ohanaeze, while agreeing on competence as an essential factor in deciding Nigerian Presidency, opined that zoning had been least considered in the past, coupled with the current mood of the nation.
The Igbo group insisted that Ndigbo has competent sons and daughters to end the myriads of challenges currently threatening the existence of the country.
It said, “It’s also a big factor, but that is after Ndigbo, who must present competent candidates to take their turn.
“We agree with Mamman Daura on this competency thing but, why is it coming now? Why not in the past?. Why is he enjoying the fruit of the rot of the past and talking of competence now? Well, we have several competent Igbo for 2023 and I challenge Daura to pick among this galaxy of men and women.
“We also want this competency to affect quota system, educationally disadvantaged area, and other areas that discriminate against some sections of Nigerians and not just in the political sphere.
“Let the Presidency go round first and then, this no- zoning thing and pure merit becomes the greatest factor in deciding our leadership.”
Ibegbu asked Nigerian elites to maintain social, political and economic justice at all times for the nation to develop and be stable.
On the renewed attempts by the Miyetti Allah to set up its security outfit nationwide, Ohanaeze told members of the herders group to restrict it to their states of origin as other zones have either set up or about to set up their regional security outfit, declaring that the group appeared to be restless and attention-seeking.
