A former President of the Senate, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, has described zoning of political offices as a ‘factor’ capable of making Nigeria a united and peaceful nation.
Anyim, who faulted the criticisms trailing the decision of the South-East Peoples Democratic Party to zone the national chairmanship of the party to Ebonyi and Imo states, argued that there was nothing ‘strange’ about the decision.
He cited the United States as one of the major democracies where zoning of offices is a common practice.
Anyim spoke during an exclusive interview with our correspondents in Abuja.
He said, “In our own case, zoning is just one of those items, one of the principles to keep our country together and give everybody a sense of belonging. But it should also not be abused.
“So, zoning is one principle that we have come to adopt in our own (PDP) policy as one of the factors that will keep the unity and peace of this country and that is why at the highest level, PDP zones. Even at other zonal levels, they also zone. Now, in the South-East, they zoned (the position of the national chairmanship) to Ebonyi and Imo states.
“In North-Central, the national secretary is zoned to Plateau and Kwara states. I also know that somebody is contesting from Kogi. So, what is strange about that of the South-East? It does not matter whether there is zoning or no zoning. All I know is that I am preparing for an election.”
A group of PDP stalwarts, led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, had met in Enugu last week where they supported the zoning of the party’s national chairmanship to Imo and Ebonyi states.
The national secretariat of the party had, however, overruled the decision, saying all aspirants from the five states in the South-East had a right to contest.
Anyim, who is seeking to become the National Chairman of the PDP, also spoke on the incessant frictions in the National Assembly and concluded that ‘foundational problems’ were partly responsible for them.
The former President of the Senate linked the recent crisis over the N628m contracts scandal in the House of Representatives to the ‘foundational problems.’
He said that the solution to the problems did not lie within the parliament but ‘outside.’
Mrs. Patricia Etteh and Alhaji Babangida Nguroje resigned their positions as Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Deputy Speaker last week after weeks of tension over the award of contracts for the renovation of their official residences.
Anyim said, “I believe that today, there are some foundational problems that are yet to be resolved in the parliament. Such problems include the committee system, the contract system and so on.
“And as the parliament is currently constituted, it cannot be resolved from within. It has to be resolved from outside and maybe the party will have to resolve it. It is one of the things that are yet to be achieved in the National Assembly.”
He argued that the recent tension in the House of Representatives was not only over the award of contracts but also about the choice of chairman of committees.
He added, “If you look at the problem in the House, it is not just about the scam, it is also about the committee chairmanship. And it is from the outside that the number of committees and the provisions of the committees should be determined for the National Assembly. And certain structures that will guide the conduct of financial transactions are yet to be concretised. There is a procedure now but it needs to be fine-tuned.”
By Simon Ekpe, Emma Anya and Semiu Okanlawon
The Punch
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
