SINCE the late Musa YarAdua passed away, the voices     against zoning have been swarming the political conclave with fierce and indeed frightening venom, bubbling to the surface of our ugly sectarian tendencies, dragging the polity along their dangerous tracts.

It is amazing that a simple matter like this is taking so much eruptive volcano to resolve. Let us propose a solution. For the benefit of those who have declared it illegal, unconstitutional, a fraud and more, let it be agreed so but retrospective to 1999- 2007.

From here, we move on and equally declare the respective tenures of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan so. We then invite the National Assembly to declare a “doctrine of retrospectivity” on the period.

This then would lead us to declare their tenures illegal and prosecute them for coming to power through unconstitutionality since the 1999 Constitution is kind enough to prescribe that nobody can come to power here except in accordance with its provisions and an illegal and an unconstitutional vehicle is not part of the provisions.

They should be prosecuted consequently, declare them coup plotters and then request President Goodluck Jonathan to step down, in that he is on the seat through illegality and unconstitutionalism. It is that simple. If we agree that zoning is illegal and unconstitutional, then we must, for this reason, request him to vacate Aso Rock. Goodman Sambo, too, should do the same.

However, they could be pardoned if all the past and present beneficiaries of zoning could answer these questions sincerely and honestly. For the avoidance of doubt, these beneficiaries include not only the past presidents but also those who served in their respective administrations, and others at the state level who are also children of zoning.

The questions are very simple like asking an ”undergrad” what is one plus one. First question: Was zoning or rotation or power shift or however called, unconstitutional, illegal or a fraud in 1999, 2003 and 2007? Two: If yes, why, therefore, was it applied during those periods? Three: Why did we allow some prominent citizens, editors, etc, to openly promote and champion illegality, without anyone thinking of sanctioning them? Four: Or did it become illegal only while we were driving along the 2011 election highway?

If, on the other hand, that it was not illegal in those years, then why has it suddenly become one now? Yes. Why? We need an answer.

If they answer these questions successfully, without eh! eh! eh!, then we can pardon them but if  otherwise, President Jonathan would have to step down being a product of illegality and unconstitutionalism. Obasanjo and the other beneficiaries should be charged to court for coming to power through a ‘coup’, on the horseback of fraud.

See how simple it is to solve the problem. For the others who are saying that Jonathan should continue since power was divinely zoned to him, let us ask; did Abdulsalam, to whom power was equally zoned, by divine grace, continue, even as he could have done so on request by NADECO, Afenifere and company.

What of Obasanjo? He too came to power through the same channel when Murtala passed away. Did he seek to go beyond the 1979 tenure termination period they gave themselves. These questions too should be answered.

Mr. Bashir , a public affairs commentator, writes from Lagos.