Rotation Of The  2023 Presidency To The South And Micro-zoning To The Southeast: Facts Of The Matter.

Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Nigeria, (NONN), the apex body of Ozo Traditional Institution in Igbo land, having watched with studied interest the past and current political developments in respect of the debate on rotation/zoning and the 2023 Presidential election; standing on firm grounds of spirituality and moral conscience, states as follows:

1.Nigeria is a flawed federation by the 1999 Constitution set up by Army Generals. It largely ignores the most essential and inherent principles of a federation, including federalism, equality and mutual respect between the over 300 ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

2. From the second half of the 19th Century when federations emerged as a structure of governance, inclusiveness, justice, equity and fair-play between the federating units and the central government, became the bonding glues of any such union which would peacefully sustain. Federations that thrive on exclusion, inequity, injustice and violence, have always fallen by the way side after some checkered existence.

3. Non-violent agitation for the right to self-determination is lawful under Nigerian laws (African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Chapter 10 LFN 1990 (No. 2 of 1983) and the 1999 Constitution; and African Union and UN multi-lateral treaties duly adopted and ratified by Nigeria. From the end of the World War I, the right to self-determination has become an imperative principle of actions which statesmen only ignore at their own peril. World War II added a lot more impetus.

It is therefore lawless for any government to seek to stop peaceful agitation with brute force and killings.

4. In view of the foregoing, stigmatization and exclusion of the South-East from governance of Nigeria as retribution for South-East youth's agitation for the right to self-determination, is a retrograde step to the Medieval Ages' Devine Right of Kings; and violates both Nigerian and international law; and defies world best practices. Inclusion and deregulation of powers to federating units have always doused agitating fires for such rights around the globe. A few examples would do:

i.The Scots and the Irish, both about 11% of UK population, as against English 84.3% variously agitated and the almighty Gt. Britain’s unitary monarchy deregulated, based on equality under the law and the right to self-determination, to a federation of 4 nations (English, Scot, Welsh & Irish) to preserve the Union. In a 2014 Scottish independence vote, the Scots voted to stay in United Kingdom.

ii.French Canadians of the Quebec province of Canada (one of 8 provinces and 3 territories) altogether 25% of Canada's population, agitated for independence severally over years. In two referendums (1980 & 1995) Quebec voted to remain Canadians before and after monumental restructuring which included adopting French as parallel official language in1969 (English is the language of the rest of Canada); entrenching minority rights in the Canadian Constitution (1985); and Quebecers being appointed Prime Ministers of Canada 12 of 23 times in Canada's history. It is remarkable that during the two referendums nationalist French Canadians (Pierre Trudeau, father of present prime minister, 1980-1984 and Jean Chretien 1993-2003) held the posts of Prime Minister. This is to say that inclusiveness, equity, justice and fair-play are natural glues that generate patriotism which preserve federations; not exclusion, abusiveness and violence which breed rancour, induce breach of the social contract and alienate citizens from the State, thus driving the disintegration of any union.

5. It is not justifiable to insist that since it took over 100 years after the US Civil war for a candidate from any of the Confederal States (combatants in the US war) to win election as US President, the ex-Biafrans must therefore wait for over 100 years before aspiring to be President of Nigeria. There is a great wall of difference between the two wars. The US war was a just war for the liberation of slaves (our brother Africans) in which the confederal slave merchants, the combatants lost; whereas the Biafra war was fought by Nigeria to enslave the Igbo after 30,000 of them were remorselessly slaughtered and several tens of thousands maimed and traumatized in several riots that forced the Biafra break-way. The Igbos were unarmed defendants and were defeated; but that defeat signaled the conquest of Nigeria. The stare of the truth of that conquest is today beginning to dazzle the eyes, and benumb the senses of even skeptics.

6. Nigeria’s 4th Republic kicked off in 1999 with the election of General Obasanjo from the South-West zone as President, ostensibly to compensate the South-West for the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief MKO Abiola from the South-West, but annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida. Thereafter a rotation arrangement started being implemented by the political class between the North and the South. At the expiration of President Obasanjo’s two-four-year terms, Alhaji Musa Yar’dua from Katsina State in the North-West was elected President in 2007. At his death in 2010, his Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan from the South-South, took over as President and was in office for 6 years. General Muhammadu Buhari, also from Katsina in the North-West, defeated President Jonathan, based on the zoning arrangement. Buhari would serve out his 2, 4-year terms on May 29, 2023. Power is therefore supposed to return to Southern Nigeria; and to be micro-zoned to the South-East, the only zone in the South that has not had a shot at the Presidential seat, out of the three in the zone. And the South-East is overflowing with very well qualified candidates who can rebuild the failures of the past seven years!. And the Upper North and some South-West politicians seem to be conspiring to by-pass and therefore exclude the South-East from ever occupying the Nigerian presidential seat. Allowed to happen, these power mongers for no other reason than promotion of parochial personal/sectional interests, would foist on Nigeria a dangerous fiat accompli of exclusivity on the presidency, which is antithetical to the best interests of sustenance of a multi-ethnic /cultural/religious federation, like Nigeria. This is against the best interest of Nigeria and sustenance of a healthy federation.

7. On account of the injustice and the likely permanent instability this high-handed parochial act would impose on Nigeria, if it succeeds, and considering all the factors in the foregoing as elaborated in 1 to 6 above, Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Nigeria, categorically declares as follows:

(i) It is the turn of the South-East to produce the next President of Nigeria to be elected in 2023 and all well-meaning Nigerians are requested to support the election of the best candidate from the South-East during the 2023 election, as a moral imperative and a patriotic duty.

(ii) That to by-pass the South-East in 2023 would be an act of subversion against Federal Character principles enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution and the corporate existence of the Federation of Nigeria;

(iii) That zoning and rotation between the North and South, and serially among the six zones of the federation, should be maintained as a deliberate act of inclusion which helps to ensure equity, justice and fair play as an effort to sustain peace and harmony among the over 300 ethnic nationalities of the federation, thereby engendering patriotism which no law or force can generate;

(iiii) That to abandon zoning and rotation now it is the turn of the South, specifically micro-zoned to the Southeast, is a dangerous, costly and unnecessary gamble against inclusiveness, unity, equity and justice, which are needed for peaceful coexistence in the country.

(v) That all South-easterners in Nigeria and around the globe are reminded to remain calm, united, undaunted, and resolute and queue behind this South-East (SE) quest for 2023 Nigerian President from the South East;

(vi) That South-Easterners subverting this SE quest for the 2023 Presidency must remember that there shall be a day of reckoning. Ndigbo have a saying, " Anazobata Obi azobata";_ anagh azopu ya azopu” (No sane person rejects or sabotages his turn in a queue);

(vii) That Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Nigeria , is humbled and appreciates immensely the patriotic leadership of the elders of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum (SMBF) comprising Afenifere, Ohanaeze, PANDEF and Middle Belt Forum in lending shoulders of support to the South-East these trying times when it is much more lucrative for political jobbers to cross the line and join in the splitting of hairs to justify throwing over-board zoning and rotation and thereby validate the South-East exclusion. The struggle should continue until success is achieved. NONN is beyond grateful to SMBF.

(viii) That Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Nigeria, hereby humbly requests all political parties in Nigeria to micro-zone the 2023 Presidency to the Southeast geo-political zone of Nigeria in the interest of equity, justice and inclusiveness in other to restore brotherhood across zones and foster the peaceful sustenance of a healthy and balanced federation of Nigeria.

Signed :
Prof Ike Oluka, fniae, fasi, fcai.
Ozo Ohamadike &
Chairman Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Nigeria.
Prince Chukwuemeka Onyesoh
Oba Agbalanze of Nri Ancient Kingdom &
National Leader, Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Nigeria.