By Wale Akinola
As the issue of zoning takes a centre stage in the nation’s political debate, Nigerians have been advised to de-emphasize the idea of South and North dichotomy which has continued to cause disunity, militate against the progress and threaten the corporate existence of the country.

A United States of America-based Nigerian political pressure group, “The Nigerian Fourth Dimension 2007” gave the advice in a communiqué issued at the end of its crucial meeting in Boston during the week.

While reaffirming its strong belief in the resort to the dictates of the nation’s constitution as a basis for political negotiations, it said the “country should be allowed to run on the basis of states which constitute the corporate entity of the nation with disregard to geographical zoning for the purpose of political offices.”

According to the body, “Nigerians should also desist from making inflammatory and derogatory remarks based on North and South divide as these are capable of causing social-political upheavals in the country.

” We believe in the power of states and federation where states are integral units,” the communiqué stated.
The communiqué which was signed by Pastor Kingsley Okundaye and Mr. Emmanuel Okunmwendia, chairman and publicity secretary respectively of the organization’s interim caretaker committee, and made available to us over the week, asserted that “zoning was undemocratic as it denies qualified people the opportunity to aspire to political offices of their choices,” adding that Nigerians should be allowed to choose their leaders in a free and fair election.

The organization supported the recent statement by elderstatesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, that “if zoning was adopted by PDP in 2007 election, as some politicians want us to believe, presidential aspirants, such as Mr. Donald Duke, Dr. Peter Odili and Obong (Arch.) Victor Attah, all former governors of Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States respectively would not have been allowed to campaign for nomination on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party.”  On the situation in the Niger-Delta region, the organization expressed its continued support for and identification with “the cause of the hugely marginalized and deprived people of the region,” saying that it will continue to denounce violence and support a peaceful resolution of the issue.

It commended the Federal Government on the implementation of the amnesty programme but advised that all bureaucratic bottlenecks should be removed to facilitate the re-integration and rehabilitation of those who laid down their arms for the purpose of peace and stability in the country.

It also called on the administration to ensure that the concerned oil companies pay adequate compensations to the affected people in the area where oil spillage recently occurred and help them with full rehabilitation, including the establishment of a fund that should be administered by the Federal Government.

The organization lamented decades of suffering occasioned by pollution of several areas of the Niger-Delta region by the activities of the oil companies and called on the Federal Government to tighten regulations of oil exploration and ensure that the companies put in place adequate plan to prevent and/or manage oil spillages.

The government, it advised, should initiate adequate development projects, such as schools, hospitals, good roads, clean water, in the poor areas of the Niger-Delta to alleviate the sufferings of the people.