BENUE State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Saturday said that what Nigerians are clamouring for is the right person to govern Nigeria and not zoning.
He explained that zoning is not the problem of Nigeria but to have the best hands to lead them. Ortom who spoke to newsmen in Makurdi said that Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) is ready to heed to the demand of Nigerians to be led by the best hands that will turn around the for- tunes of the country and im- prove their living condition.
According to the governor, “I have always said that zoning is good, but it is driven by the marginalisation of people and poverty among the people.
“Some people tend to believe that if you zone a position to their place, they may have the opportunity of getting their share of the cake.
“But beyond that, if you look at America from where we copied the presidential system of government, you will discover that they don’t zone. George Bush was president of United States of America (USA). At a point, two of his sons were governors and another later became the president of the country.
“So what matters is that you look for the best hands, and that is what we are getting to. 20 years after this current experience, some of us are also looking for credibility with the objective of trying to get somebody who will lead us at the party level and even at the presidential level.
“I believe that this is the thinking of all Nigerians, arising from the recent chal- lenge that we have from the North and South. Governors in the South and the North are giving divergent views about what should happen next.
“If you listen very well to what Nigerians are saying, you will understand me. Nigerians are saying that zoning is not the problem of Nigeria, but we should look for the best, somebody who can deliver.
“Yes, from former President Goodluck Jonathan, we zoned to the North and President Muhammadu Buhari is there. Tell me, are you getting dividends of democracy? Has the country been secured? Have we been able to improve on the economy of this country? Have we been able to improve the education sector or the infrastructure of this country?
“You don’t clamour for zoning in one breath and do micro-zoning in another.