The House of Representatives has rejected a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the rotation of the offices of the president and vice president among the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The bill, which was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu was titled: “A bill for an Act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, to provide for the principle of rotation of the offices of the president and the vice president of Nigeria, among the six geopolitical zones of the country, namely: North Central, North East, North West, South East, South South, and South West and for related matters (HB. 2291).”
After the House leader read the titles of the seven constitutional amendment bills to the House, the deputy speaker, who presided over the plenary, opened the floor for lawmakers to make their contributions on the bills.
Rep. Aliyu Madaki (NNPP/Kano), opposed the bill, saying the issue the bill is trying to address had been adequately covered by the constitution under the principle of federal character.
Rep. Madaki argued that the issue of zoning of the presidency should be left to individual political parties to decide, saying there was no need to enshrine such a provision in the constitution.
Rep. Ali Isah (PDP/Gombe), however, disagreed with the position of Rep. Madaki.
He said enshrining rotational presidency in the constitution will engender fairness and a sense of belonging for all the geopolitical zones of the country.
Also, Rep. Sada Soli (APC/Katsina), while opposing the bill, said the proposed legislation “is very injurious to the unity of the country.”
He said enshrining the principle of rotational presidency in the constitution will lead to the enthronement of mediocrity over competence.
“It could play up regional and ethnic interests over competency.
“It will encourage limited choice of people that can vie for office, and it will encourage regional rivalry, which negates the spirit of unity,” Rep. Soli said.
But the deputy speaker, while responding to Rep. Soli’s position, dismissed the argument on the enthronement of mediocrity, adding that every geopolitical zone of the country has competent and capable people who can occupy the offices of president and vice president, respectively.
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He said the essence of the bill is to ensure that every part of the country has the opportunity to contribute to the governance and development of the country.
Rep. Shina Oyedeji, in his contribution, opposed the bill, noting that the essence of democracy is all about healthy competition.
He added that including clauses of zoning and regional sentiments negates democratic principles.
“Everybody should be given the chance to stand and contest an election at any given opportunity,” he said.
Rep. Bello El-Rufai (APC/Kaduna), while opposing the bill, said enshrining the principle of rotational presidency in the constitution will lead to regional and ethnic rivalries given the multiplicity of ethnicities in the country.
After a heated debate on the bill, the deputy speaker put it to a voice vote, and the majority of the lawmakers opposed it with a “nays” voice vote.
