2023: Zoning Is Unconstitutional — Sen. Adamu

Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa), says zoning political
offices between North and South is not a Constitutional issue, but
an arrangement by political parties.

Adamu said this when he spoke with newsmen in Abuja, while
reacting to rising clamour for power shift from North to South in
2023.

“On the issue of zoning, people are misreading the signals; the
issue of zoning is not in the Nigerian Constitution.

“It is not a constitutional matter. The six geo-political zones
that we have are not in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. These are just arrangements for administrative
conveniences.

“They may develop with time and probably get a place in the
Constitution, I don’t know but as of now it is not. So nobody is
saying if you don’t zone you are contravening a constitutional
provision,” he said.

He described Nigeria as an artificial union of southern and
northern protectorates made by British colonialists.

“Lord Lugard deemed it appropriate to unite both the northern
and southern protectorates into one country call Nigeria.

“They chose the name for us; they did the national anthem for
us,” he said.

According to him, whatever the intentions of the colonial
masters were, the protectorates have since coexisted relatively
peacefully as Nigeria, until recent rise in calls for
secession.

“For good or for bad, we have been together like in good
marriage.

“But in recent times, the echoes on issues that divide us will
appear to be gaining more and more momentum and are getting louder.
That is not good.

“And one thing which, for good or for bad from inception of
amalgamation, the north as we have it till now, is much bigger in
terms of land mass and population than the south.

“In fact, the northern part alone constitutes 60 per cent of the
landmass of this country,” Adamu said.

He added” “Unfortunately, the rate at which the different parts
of the country were developing was not good for the smooth running
of affairs of the country.

“There are disparities in education, big gap in education; there
are disparities in economics, in development of the various
parts.”

He, however, decried recent rising security challenges in the
country.

“In recent times, we have some very unfortunate situations about
banditry and loses that we suffer as a result of herdsmen and what
have you.

“The unfortunate propaganda has gone to create the impression
that every herdsman is a northerner which is not true.

“That every herdsman is a Fulani man which is not true, but
because the preponderance of the Nigerian press belonged to those
who are fighting the northern interest, they continue to sing the
same song.

“ It is one thing, it is just aimed at the north, aimed at the
northern leadership, it is unfortunately for us,” he said.

Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa), says zoning political
offices between North and South is not a Constitutional issue, but
an arrangement by political parties.

Adamu said this when he spoke with newsmen in Abuja, while
reacting to rising clamour for power shift from North to South in
2023.

“On the issue of zoning, people are misreading the signals; the
issue of zoning is not in the Nigerian Constitution.

“It is not a constitutional matter. The six geo-political zones
that we have are not in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. These are just arrangements for administrative
conveniences.

“They may develop with time and probably get a place in the
Constitution, I don’t know but as of now it is not. So nobody is
saying if you don’t zone you are contravening a constitutional
provision,” he said.

He described Nigeria as an artificial union of southern and
northern protectorates made by British colonialists.

“Lord Lugard deemed it appropriate to unite both the northern
and southern protectorates into one country call Nigeria.

“They chose the name for us; they did the national anthem for
us,” he said.

According to him, whatever the intentions of the colonial
masters were, the protectorates have since coexisted relatively
peacefully as Nigeria, until recent rise in calls for
secession.

“For good or for bad, we have been together like in good
marriage.

“But in recent times, the echoes on issues that divide us will
appear to be gaining more and more momentum and are getting louder.
That is not good.

“And one thing which, for good or for bad from inception of
amalgamation, the north as we have it till now, is much bigger in
terms of land mass and population than the south.

“In fact, the northern part alone constitutes 60 per cent of the
landmass of this country,” Adamu said.

He added” “Unfortunately, the rate at which the different parts
of the country were developing was not good for the smooth running
of affairs of the country.

“There are disparities in education, big gap in education; there
are disparities in economics, in development of the various
parts.”

He, however, decried recent rising security challenges in the
country.

“In recent times, we have some very unfortunate situations about
banditry and loses that we suffer as a result of herdsmen and what
have you.

“The unfortunate propaganda has gone to create the impression
that every herdsman is a northerner which is not true.

“That every herdsman is a Fulani man which is not true, but
because the preponderance of the Nigerian press belonged to those
who are fighting the northern interest, they continue to sing the
same song.

“ It is one thing, it is just aimed at the north, aimed at the
northern leadership, it is unfortunately for us,” he said.