2023 Elections: Former Nasarawa Governor Rejects Zoning Presidency to South »

Former Governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has frowned at the call to zone the 2023 Presidential slot to the South, saying the 1999 Constitution of th the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended does not have provision for zoning.

Speaking during an interactive session with Newsmen in Abuja, the ex Governor who is the Senator representing Nasarawa West, said the Constitution says a Contestant can only become a President through the ballot box not through zoning into office.

“The Constitution is being reviewed. If you want to review and you want a provision, specific, that presidential office to be zone in such a manner you tell us how you want it zoned. You can’t just wish away a situation that is fundamental to the life of a country.

“You can’t talk of merit and talk of zoning. The issue of rotation, let’s just go by merit. Let every party find a way of selling itself in a manner as to gather the kind of vote to deliver the presidential result. It is as simple as that.

“It is government of the people, by the people and for the people. Why do you want to change it. It is wishful thinking only. We are not been practical,” he said.

Speaking on the division between Northern and Southern politicians, Senator Adamu said “it is a pity that there is such conflict and division, adding that the division did not start with this generation of politicians.”

“It started from amalgamation. There had been discontent, there had been disagreement between our politicians. Right through to independence period, there had been disagreement between Northern and Southern leaders. This is not new.

On the ban on open grazing, the Lawmaker called on the federal and state governments to protect herdsmen the way they protect spare part dealers in the country.

Senator Adamu, who said the federal, state and local governments have not be able to proffer measures that will cushion the pains of herdsmen, lamented that there’s no provision of basic amenities to modernize cattle rearing in the country, adding that “every Nigerian has the right to free movement.”