I Don’t Believe in Zoning, Nigerians Should be Allowed to Decide –  Sen Bulkachuwa

Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

The Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, has said that he does not believe any political party in Nigeria should zone its presidential ticket to any particular region in the country ahead of the 2023 general elections.

His comment comes on the heels of the recent agitation by the South-East region to produce the president come 2023. The senator said its best the right candidates are fielded by all the parties while Nigerians elect the best among the options.

He also said the Nigerian Government will not be cowed by the demands if elements he described as “insurgents in the South-East.

Bulkachuwa noted that the South-East had tried in the past to separate the country which resulted in a civil war.

He warned that the Nigerian government would have no choice but to engage the South-East in war if the people demanded it.

Adamu also believes that the killings, kidnappings, banditry and agitations were all prelude to the general elections in 2023, insisting there would not be zoning of the Presidency because it is undemocratic and unconstitutional.

The Senator during an interview on Channels Television said, “There are people who feel democracy is not good enough for them and they want to devise their own means of belonging to this entity called Nigeria and if they don’t have their wish, they’ll let Nigeria go to pieces,

“So is that anything that the constitution allows or encourages? So they’re absolutely outside the realm of the constitution.

“They’re just rebels, arsonists and criminals in short. So, what are we going to consider to even give them a chance to come and say their wish and let Nigeria tremble and bow before them and say ‘okay, we’ve granted you your wish.’

“Those insurgencies in the Southeast, they’re all claiming that they want their own country called Biafra right? If that is the case, is it by killing people that they’ll get their country?

“They’ve tried it before; do they want us to go back to the same route? I don’t think so. But if they do, if that’s what they choose, has Nigeria got any choice?

“Will we just allow them, bow and say, ‘we’ll grant you your own wish?’ No. The Nigerian government has to stand out, fight them and give them what they want.”

The South-East has been agitating for an opportunity to produce the next President of the country come 2023, but Senator Bulkachuwa pointed out that politics is a game of number.

He added, “I believe these banditry, kidnappings, agitations and killings are all prelude to the 2023 election,” he added.

“I don’t even believe in zoning. I believe the right candidates should be fielded by all the parties and then let Nigerians choose from the best among them.

“And those who have the number, who believe the same candidates will obviously win. Unless you don’t want that which is against the norms of democracy, then, I don’t know, you can devise your own means.

“I don’t believe zoning is democratic. I don’t believe zoning will produce the best president for this country.”

This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

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