By Henry Umoru

ABUJA — FORMER Minister of Police Affairs, Major-General David Jemibewon (rtd) said yesterday  that if  the present political imbroglio on zoning must be nipped in the bud to allow President Goodluck Jonathan contest the 2011 presidential election, the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, must make a special case for zoning.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on the topic, “My stand on zoning,” Jemibewon who was the Chairman, Constitution Drafting Committee of the PDP’s Constitution in 1999, noted that it became imperative for him to support zoning because it would help foster confidence and unity.

His words: “At my local government area, we practice rotation and it has worked for us and I believe if properly, honestly and transparently operated, it can and it will work elsewhere.

“In my state, we are advocating zoning/rotation. I cannot, therefore, be seen to object to it at one level but support it at another. It is my believe that zoning cannot remain for eternity, but until we forge a nation out of our divided society.”

Jemibewon who noted that the present political debate on zoning was one of the beauties of democracy, said zoning, like any other human situation, could not be static, adding that the solution to what he described as unhealthy controversy can only be resolved by the PDP and its leadership.

Beauty of democracy
“I, therefore, see the present debate on zoning as one of the beauties of democracy as long as it remains healthy and without resort to threat and the use of uncomplimentary· language. The purpose of this press· interaction therefore is to tell the Nigerian people through the media particularly those who genuinely like and feel concerned about me and who are asking why I should belong to those who support zoning.”

The way forward
“There is no doubt in my mind that those who argue for and or against zoning have some good points. However, we must remember that zoning is a PDP affairs. It is a party constitutional matter. The party’s constitution has provision for the procedure for amendments, Article 26.1 through 26.3 page 101. The solution to this unhealthy controversy, therefore, lies with the party and its leadership. In my view, the solution to this debate lies in discussions at the appropriate levels of the party machinery.

Cautions on derogatory words

The retired general who called for caution in the use of derogatory and inflammatory words, said: “I hold the view that we need to watch our language when we debate. We can disagree without being offensive. Some say zoning and federal character should be removed from the nation’s Constitution. A writer claimed that zoning was a cry by the minority and that federal character was associated with the North. That some states in the North are made up of only cattle rearers and· shepherds.

“The writer asked: how will it look if a cattle rearer becomes the President. Statements and phrases such as these are derogatory and offensive and it is· even worse coming from an old man who is almost at his terminal