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2023 elections: El-Rufai kicks against zoning

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5 years ago

August 10, 2019

The immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has reportedly withdrawn his interest in being part of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. According to report, presidency sources said Mr El-Rufai told President Tinubu at a meeting on Tuesday that he was no longer interested in becoming a minister but would continue to contribute his quota to the development of Nigeria as a private citizen. “He also told the president that he needed time to focus on his doctorate programme at a university in The Netherlands,” a source said. Another insider also said that the former governor suggested a new ministerial nominee — Jafaru Ibrahim Sani — for Kaduna State, saying the President would find him very useful and resourceful. Mr Sani served as commissioner in three ministries in Kaduna State (Local Government Education and Environment) while Mr El-Rufai was governor.

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The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has described the zoning of political offices as a barrier to political equality, advising that the idea be abandoned in favour of competence.

El-Rufai offered his thoughts in a prologue titled, ‘Defeating a Determined Incumbent – The Nigerian Experience’, which he contributed to a book – Power of Possibilities and Politics of Change in Nigeria – written by the Director-General of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Salihu Lukman.

Ahead of the 2023 elections, there are already talks about the South producing the next president, with President Muhammadu Buhari from the North currently serving his second term.

Some key political offices at state levels are also rotated among the various ethnic groups or zones.

He said, “Even with our success in the 2015 elections, there is room for improvement. Barriers to political equality, such as our seemingly entrenched though informal rule for zoning candidacies according to regions of origin, need to be de-emphasised and ultimately abandoned in favour of an emphasis on qualification, competence and character.

“The financing of parties, candidates and campaigns remains opaque.

“Many African countries are marked by savage inequalities, and a handful of individuals have the wherewithal to hold the process hostage.

“We must work towards funding parties via capped and fully disclosed donations and annual dues payable by every registered party member.”