Nigeria Content Online

Ibrahim Babangida, former military ruler, and presidential
aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said yesterday
that the controversy over zoning of political and elective offices by the party
would have been avoided if the players in the current democratic dispensation
stuck to its constitution.

Mr Babangida, who was apparently responding to Goodluck
Jonathan’s claim last Monday that the PDP did not zone the presidency to any
part of the country, said those who should ordinarily know the import of zoning
and power-sharing in a pluralist state like Nigeria have become sentimental
with the issue.

He spoke in Abuja at the launching of a book: “The Nigerian
Hundred: The Most Influential Nigerians of All Time” written by Prosper
Aworegba. The event was organized on behalf of the author by the Independent
Newspapers Limited (INL) publishers of Daily Independent Newspapers.

“Despite the pluralistic status of Nigeria, those who should
ordinarily know the import of zoning and power-sharing as a function of our
peculiarities have used other sentiments to misrepresent the real issues,” Mr
Babangida, who chaired the event, said. “The controversy over the zoning of
political offices in my party, the PDP, would have been avoided if the players
stuck to the terms and provisions of the party constitution. All the twists and
bends would have been unnecessary if the moral fibre of the society still
retains its potency and integrity.”

Divided societies

The former president argued that democracy in plural or divided
societies talks about power-sharing, conflict resolution and management; and of
course zoning, stressing, “It talks about respect for ,and understanding of the
peculiarities of any given society.”

Mr Babangida said democracy and good governance have become very
handy clichés in recent times, as the end product of meaningful leadership, but
noted that the system of government provides an opportunity for the electorate
to make informed choices, and that elections, create a platform for delivering
essential ingredients of a wholesome living. He said it is regrettable that,
these days, media practitioners in the country appear to be more involved in
politics than politicians. “This apparent drift, often times, affects the
objectivity of reports, analyses, news contents, editorial comments, opinions
articles and essays,” he said.

He advised the media to move away from the present reality by ensuring that
it sticks to the ethics of the profession without fear or favour, and also
assume its constitutional role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.