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The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, rejected a constitutional amendment bill seeking to rotate the office of the president and vice president among the six geo-political zones of the country.
The lawmakers also rejected six other constitutional alteration bills listed in the order paper for consideration.
They, however, resolved to bring back the bills and consider them on their individual merit, on Wednesday.
At the commencement of the debate, the lawmakers set aside the House standing rules to allow them take the constitutional alteration bills simultaneously, and allowed members to choose any of the seven bills listed on which they wish to debate on.
However, most members chose the bill seeking to rotate the office of the president and vice president among the six geo-political zones, with several members opposing the idea and warning against setting a dangerous precedent with it.
Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki, led the opposition to the bill, saying that issues the bill intend to cure has been addressed by the Federal Character Commission. He warned that the issue of rotation should not be included in the constitution, but allowed to remain the way it is.
Madaki argued that the existing political parties already have mechanism to ensure fair representation in the sharing of offices at every given electoral period.
Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) described the proposed alteration as ingenuous, but wondered whether it will work against the issue of quality.
He stressed that adopting the rotation principle will not be in the interest of the country as it will promote regional and ethnic rivalry among the various zones of the country.
In his contribution, Shina Oyedeji (PDP, Oyo) said if the rotational principle is included in the constitution, every state and tribe in the various zones will begin another round of agitation for fairness and justice.
He noted that everybody in the country should be given equal opportunity to aspire to the office of the president and vice president, saying: “If you adopt zoning and it comes to the South West for example, which state will take the position? Is it Ogun or Oyo?
Speaking, Bello El-Rufai (APC, Kaduna) wondered what will happen if the president dies while in office like it happened when former President Umaru Yar’adua died in office.
He argued that adopting the provision will also infringe on the right of all Nigerians to contest for any office of their choice, adding that even if the rotation principle is allowed, there will always be mistrust among the people.
“Whatever you do in Nigeria, there will always be a cry of marginalisation. We should not engage in a dangerous precedent by putting it in the Constitution,” he said.
Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun) said although the amendment might be a unique one, it will be out of place to force the political parties to choose where their candidates for elections will come from.
However, Minority Whip, Ali Isa, said the six geo-political zones should be allowed to have a shot at the presidency, adding that it should also extend to the states for the governorship seats to be rotated among the three senatorial zones.
He argued that all geo-political zones in the country have well qualified persons who can manage the affairs of the country and the West African sub-region, adding that even the federal character principle provides that there should be fairness among all states of the country.
He commended the deputy speaker for acknowledging the fact that there is the need to allow fairness, saying “in 2027, we should allow the presidency go to the North East for the sake of fairness and allow all zones to produce the president.”
Also contributing, Clement Jimbo (APC, Akwa Ibom) said the bill seeks to cure the age-long injustice meted on the minority groups in the country, emphasising that a proviso be included in the Constitution that will ensure that all zones have a shot at the presidency.
The bill, however, failed to scale through second reading after a voice vote, which was preceded by a debate
Other bills rejected are the bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to remove from Independent National Electoral Commission the Powers of Registration and Regulation of political Parties in Nigeria and transfer same to the Office of the Registrar General of Political Parties; the bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for Establishment, Independence, and Functions of the Office of the State Auditors-General for Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils, to Strengthen Fiscal Oversight, Promote Accountability and enhance Good Governance at the Grassroots; and a bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Create Ughelli East Local Government Area in Delta State.
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