By ERICJAMES OCHIGBO

Dr Ibrahim Daudu, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the zoning system practiced by political parties in the country.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, Daudu said that allocation of top political offices to the various geo-political zones, known as zoning has failed the country.

The Borno born politician and philanthropist said that he was not an advocate of zoning as it has not addressed the nation’s challenges.

“I have always asked this question. How has zoning fared in Nigeria from 1999 to date? If zoning had succeeded, we would probably not be talking about it by now and there would never be agitations.

“There would not be insecurity. All these problems we are having, if zoning had really worked, we would not be having them. That is to prove to you that zoning has failed.

“We cannot expect to do the same thing all the time and expect different result,” he said.

The aspirant said that neither the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigerian that of APC, recognised the zoning arrangement.

According to him, it is purely a gentleman’s agreement which people subscribed to at their convenience.

“If the parties decide to, they would have to find a way to bring people on board in a tactful and convincing manner for them to accept it but not to impose it.

“As party men and Nigerians we will look at all the factors and issues raised and the decisions will be taken,” he said.

Daudu said that if elected President in 2023, his government would ensure that Nigeria’s borders are properly secured as part of efforts to check insecurity.

According to him governments, past and present, have been mostly reactive to tackling insecurity.

He said that if he successfully emerges president he would be more proactive in fighting insecurity.

The aspirant said that among his strategies would be a hybrid intelligence-based approach to cut off illegal supply of arms into the country.

“On security, most of what the governments, present and past have concentrated on, is more of the reactive. We will do more on the preventive aspect.

“To do that there are steps that will be taken, which include properly securing the borders because arms and ammunition are not manufactured in Nigeria.

“They are brought into Nigeria through the borders and right now we have porous borders.

“The approach will be to be preventive rather than reactive and cut off the supply of arms and disrupt their logistics structure”, he said. (NAN)

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