Reps rejects bill on rotational presidency among six geopolitical zones

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, rejected a constitutional amendment bill seeking to rotate the office of the president and vice president among the six geopolitics zones of the country.

In addition, the House rejected six other constitutional alteration bills listed in the order paper of the House for consideration.

It, however, resolved to bring back the bills on Wednesday and consider them on their individual merit.

The House had at the commencement of debate set aside its rules to allow it take the constitutional alteration bills simultaneously, while allowing members to choose any of the seven listed on which they wish to debate on.

However, most members chose the bill seeking to rotate the office of the President and Vice President among the six geopolitical zones, with many members opposing the idea and warning against setting a dangerous precedent with it.

Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki, led the opposition to the bill, saying that issues the bill intend to cure has been addressed by the Federal Character Commission, warning that the issue of rotation should not be included in the constitution, but allowed to remain the way it is.

Madaki argued that the existing political parties already have mechanism to ensure fair representation in the sharing of offices at every given electoral period.

Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) described the proposed alteration as ingenuous, but wondered whether it will work against the issue of quality.

He stressed that adopting the rotation principle will not be in the interest of the country as it will promote regional and ethnic rivalry among the various zones of the country.

In his debate, Shina Oyedeji (PDP, Oyo) said if the rotational principle is included in the constitution, every state and tribe in the various zones will begin another round of agitation for fairness and justice.

He believe that everybody in the country should be given equal opportunity to aspire to the office of the President and Vice President, saying “if you adopt zoning and it’s comes to the South West for example, which state will take the position? Is it Ogun or Oyo( DL/ Punch)