As political activities gather momentum ahead of party primaries, a familiar but dangerous fault line has re-emerged across Nigeria’s major political platforms: zoning. What should ordinarily serve as a stabilising mechanism for equity and inclusion is now fast becoming a trigger for internal crises within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
From all indications, the inability or outright refusal of party leaderships to clearly define and enforce zoning arrangements is fueling uncertainty, mistrust, and factional realignments. The APC, in particular, appears to be walking a political tightrope. As the ruling party, its internal contradictions carry far-reaching implications not just for its electoral fortunes, but for national political stability.
Zoning, though not constitutionally binding, has evolved into a political convention designed to balance Nigeria’s complex ethno-regional interests. It is a pragmatic response to a fragile federation. However, what we are witnessing today is not a principled debate about fairness, but a power struggle dressed in the language of inclusion.
Within the APC, competing interests are exploiting the ambiguity around zoning to push aggressive ambitions. This lack of clarity is breeding discontent among stakeholders who feel short changed or sidelined.
The consequence is predictable: fragmentation. A divided ruling party going into primaries is not just vulnerable, it is courting electoral backlash.
The situation is hardly better in the PDP, where lingering factional disputes continue to weaken the party’s cohesion. The failure to resolve internal grievances from previous electoral cycles has compounded its zoning dilemma. Rather than presenting itself as a credible alternative, the PDP risks reinforcing public perception of a party unable to govern its own affairs.
The Labour Party, which recently rode on a wave of public enthusiasm, now faces its own test of internal democracy. The absence of a coherent zoning framework threatens to erode the moral high ground it once claimed. Idealism without structure is unsustainable.
Similarly, the ADC, though smaller in scale, is not insulated from the same pressures. Factional tendencies within its ranks reflect a broader systemic problem in Nigeria’s party politics, weak institutional discipline and the dominance of personal ambition over collective interest.
The Evangelist is compelled to state unequivocally: zoning must not be reduced to a political bargaining chip manipulated by elite interests. If it is to retain legitimacy, it must be applied transparently, consistently, and in good faith. Anything short of this turns the process into a mockery of democratic principles.
More fundamentally, political parties must confront a hard truth, no electoral victory built on internal injustice can produce stable governance. Parties that cannot manage diversity within their structures cannot be trusted to manage the diversity of Nigeria.
As primaries approach, party leaderships must act decisively. Clear guidelines must be communicated. Internal disputes must be resolved through dialogue, not imposition. And above all, the collective survival of the party must take precedence over individual ambition.
Nigeria cannot afford another cycle of avoidable political crises triggered by poor internal management. The warning signs are clear. Whether the parties will heed them remains to be seen.
The Evangelist News
