An elder statesman and second republic politician, Alh Tanko Yakasai, has commended the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for zoning the 2023 presidential ticket to the southern region of the country.

Yakasai also applauded northern APC governors for supporting the idea that was earlier experimented in 1979 NPN Government of Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekweme.

The Kano-born second republic presidential adviser made this known in a statement he personally signed, a copy of which was made available to The Star on Monday.

“I wish to congratulate the Northern governors who in one of their recent meetings passed a resolution in support of zoning of the APC presidential ticket for 2023 general election to the Southern part of our country,” he said.

He further recalled that the zoning arrangement was introduced in Nigeria’s politics in the second republic, saying: “It should be recalled that the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices was first introduced in the political vocabulary of Nigeria during the 1978-79 elections by the National Party of Nigeria NPN.

“The first time that idea was put into practice was in the 1979 presidential election when first democratically elected Nigerian President was in the person of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari from Sokoto state with Dr. Alex Ekweme from Abamara state as his deputy.

“The main reason for the NPN to adopt the policy of zoning and rotation is to create a system of government that will guarantee all segments of the people of our country are given the sense of belonging and carried along in the governance of the country,” Yakasai stated.

The octogenarian noted that Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives were zoned to bring about inclusive government.

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“After the parliamentary elections that year, Dr. Joseph Wayas from Cross River State was elected president of the senate and Chief Edween Ezeoke were respectively elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, all of them are of blessed memory,” he added.

Yakasai further expressed his appreciation to God for keeping him alive to witness the continuation of zoning and rotation of the presidency in Nigeria.

He said: “I served in that administration as Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Liaison and I am proud and very grateful to Almighty Allah for still keeping me a live to witness the continuation of that innovation of zoning and rotation in our country.

“It is a matter of great satisfaction that the innovation has gained universal acceptance in our nation.”

He argued that the constitutional conference organised by Sani Abacha in preparation for democratic transition captured the arrangements but could not materialise following the death of the former military Head of State.

“During the constitutional conference under the administration of General Sani Abacha the idea was in principle captured in the adopted draft constitution and endorsed by the military government of the time.

“Unfortunately, the unfortunate demise of the then Head of State General Sani Abacha before promulgation of the draft constitution into law prevented inclusion of the system into our constitution. But it is heart warming to those of us the supporters of that innovation to see that the idea is very popular among majority of Nigerians,” Yakasai stated.

The Star