Any Serious Leader Interested In Nigeria’s Development Knows Zoning Ought To End, Group Defends Mamman Daura

A group known as Young Nigerian Professionals (YNP) has defended the comment made by President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura over the issue of zoning of presidency in the country.

Daura had, in an interview with BBC Hausa, said Nigeria does not need zoning anymore given the many times it had been tried and failed.

“Rotation has been done once, twice and three times; it is important that this nation should be united as one, the most qualified, competent should be elected and not someone who comes from a particular zone,” he said.

The statement was followed with criticism by many socio-cultural groups including Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

“He should have said this before the 2019 elections. They ganged up to push President Jonathan aside because they believed it was the turn of the North to produce the President,” said Emeka Attamah, media aide to Nnia Nwodo, president-general of the Igbo group.

“To jettison zoning is looking for chaotic situation in this country and there will be no one Nigeria, united Nigeria because no one will be a slave to the others,” elder statesman Edwin Clark also said in reaction to the President’s nephew’s remark.

But defending Daura, Charles Folayan, YNP spokesperson, said the reactions that has trailed the President’s nephew’s statement came rather too quick, adding that the full interview by BBC Hausa where yet to be released by truly understand the remark.

“The reactions of the socio-cultural groups like Ohanaeze, Afenifere among others to Malam Daura’s remarks were too quick, that they did not appreciate the substance of his important comments,” said Folayan.

“The complete interview is yet to be aired on BBC Hausa. People have not listened to the full interview and the media is picking points already. BBC Hausa will air it on Saturday — until the full interview is concluded, we should reserve our comments.”

The YNP spokesperson further noted that any serious leader or politician who is interested in the growth and development of the country knows how important doing away with zoning and allowing qualified Nigerians lead.

“Any politician or leader in fact, that is serious with the development and growth of this country will tell you that Nigeria needs to move away from that pattern of zoning baton-leadership,” he stated.

“It does not, and cannot guarantee us the kind of credible and sophisticated leadership Nigeria needs at this point.

“Nigeria needs competent leadership — that must not be put in doubt. And this competent leadership can come from any zone of the country: whether the south-east, the south-south or the south-west, the north-east, the north-central or the north-west.

“What we want to have on the ballot are options that offer us credible and meritocratic leaders, not leaders based on ethnic or religious sentiments.

“It is unfortunate that leading socio-cultural groups in the country have clothed these innocuous and critical commentary with the garb of ethnicity.”