A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, has criticised the growing emphasis on zoning in Nigeria’s political space, describing it as a strategy politicians now rely on to win presidential elections.
Momodu stated this on Tuesday during an appearance on Prime Time, a programme aired on Arise Television.
The publisher of Ovation Magazine argued that the debate over zoning had shifted attention away from pressing national issues confronting the country.
According to him, many politicians now treat zoning as the major qualification for securing electoral victory instead of focusing on competence and governance.
“Politicians now treat zoning as the only credential needed to win presidential elections,” he said.
Momodu also claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Bola Tinubu were heavily relying on the zoning narrative because their chances of victory without it remained uncertain.
He maintained that while individuals and political parties had the right to support zoning, the country’s challenges required broader conversations beyond regional considerations.
“It’s a distraction, and I can say it without any fear of contradiction, that it is not what we need at this time,” he stated.
The ADC chieftain further noted that winning elections in Nigeria depended largely on political strategy and alliances rather than zoning alone.
“Winning an election is about strategy. However, those who want zoning have the right to their choices,” he added.
