Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has declared that the idea of rotating political offices among various sections of the country is a threat to good governance.
The speaker said this in Lagos on Thursday, while speaking at the 5th Nigeria Leadership Conference (NLC) tagged “The Christopher Kolade Symposium’’.
Saying that the practice had encouraged the emergence of mediocre leadership, Tambuwal said that the choice of those who should occupy leadership positions should be made through the people’s will.
Tambuwal, who was represented by the House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, stressed that zoning was a form of imposition.
“Honestly, this idea of turn-by-turn arrangement in the holding of political offices does not produce the best leaders.
“Rotation of the Senate President’s seat, Office of the Governor or the zoning the Office of the President, based on sectional considerations, is not the best for us.
“It constricts the space, from which good leadership emerges and it also threatens good governance which is an ingredient for development,’’ he said.
Tambuwal urged Nigerians, especially those in the political class, to jettison the zoning system, saying that such a policy would strengthen the country’s democracy.
The speaker bemoaned the leadership crisis in the country, saying that the problem had impeded the country’s efforts to attain sustainable development.
Tambuwal, however, said that the followership should partly be blamed for the problem, stressing that bad leaders could only emerge if there were bad followers.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to promote good governance by ensuring that only persons with integrity and good leadership qualities were voted into positions during elections.
