Edo, S-South Deserve The Best In APC Zoning

NOW that the battle has been fought and won by the All Progressives Congress (APC),  there are already moves for a smooth transition from the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the incoming APC administration. From every observations, politicians are already aligning and making moves ahead of effective sharing of various political positions. It was widely reported last week that Leaders of the All Progressives Congress failed   to reach a decision on the   zoning of   political offices.
As the maneuverings continue, Nigerians of the APC family must understand the enormous sacrifice the people of the South-South made in the emerging order by relinquishing its Presidency to another part of the country-the North West. Those of us in the South-South see such a sacrifice as gargantuan to keep Nigeria one and keep the nation’s democracy on the track to prominence.
It is only reciprocal for other parts of the country to be mindful that, not even the position of Vice President came to the South-South. Ordinarily, ceteris peribus, the Senate President ought to have be zoned to the South-South. But those in the Senate talk about ‘ranking senators.’ The only Senator of the APC extraction in the South-South and South East of Nigeria is Barrister Alimikhena from Edo North Senatorial district, which by the Senator’s classification is not a ‘ranking Senator.’ Impliedly, Alimikhena may be discriminated against when the chips are down. That is why, perhaps, speculations are rife that the North Central and North East are currently jostling for the slot as they have a number of ‘ranking senators.’
I believe strongly that if you miss the head, you must not miss the middle. We believe that if the South-South cannot produce the Senate president, , then the zone must not be denied the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Edo boasts of some eminently qualified ‘ranking representatives’ so, there is no way the state, and hence, the zone should be denied that slot to make up for the sacrifice made by the people of the South-South Nigeria who magnanimously gave up the Presidency.
I hear some persons in the North East, and South West are also jostling for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. I want to believe that this is a mere rumour and the party would not accede to such rumour or aspirations. Our party, the APC,  must allow equity, justice, and fair play to guide this zoning  exercise and if these attributes are anything to go by, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives should be zoned to Edo State  where the APC performed exceedingly well in the just-concluded elections without much ado. Anything short of this, would pith the people of the South- South against the rest of the country as it would amount to an obvious marginalisation of the people of that zone.
Also, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG) should be zoned to the South-South for very obvious reasons. The zone parades a number of persons who made enormous sacrifices at the risk of their lives since the incumbent President is from the zone. Some paid the supreme price and the rest of the country cannot discountenance the blood of the people of South-South shed to enthrone the APC federal administration.
Also, Nigerians expect that the Minister of Petroleum should be zoned to the South-South. I make this submission with the sense that the zone is the goose that lays the golden egg. The cake which all Nigerians gather to share in Abuja every month is baked in the zone and it is only fair that the leadership of the petroleum industry be entrusted to a scion of the zone.
We are glad that the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, has promised to be the President of those who voted for and against him and even those who did not vote. And in keeping with this promise, we want to believe that the APC will come up with what is fair to the South-South.
Nigerians should not wait for the people of South-South to go violent before doing justice to them and most importantly too, the region under the Peoples Democratic Party suffered neglect as efforts were made by the deposed party to assuage only violent groups.  Some of such violent persons and groups became multi-billionaires over night and some were talking very tough before the elections because of the massive wealth they acquired under the PDP. It was obvious to all watchers of events in the country that the PDP rewarded violence and left out a vast army of non-violent South-Southerners from their development agenda. Even the much talked about East-West Road, strongly demanded by all the Declarations- The Ogoni Bill of Rights, the Kiama Declaration and many other documents of different processes and actions in the region, was not completed in the President Goodluck Jonathan’s six years reign. This, therefore, is a task that must be accomplished by the APC government.
Equally, there is an issue of amnesty for the people of the region who were involved in militancy activities. The whole concept of amnesty needs to be overhauled to benefit not only those involved in arms struggle, but also, the non-violent groups and individuals. A holistic marshal plan for the development of the Niger Delta and its people needs to be put in place by the incoming administration.
What more, poverty, disease and underdevelopment has remained the lot of millions of citizens of the zone. Environmental destruction and degradation fuelled by activities of Multinational Oil Companies remain serious sources of worry for the people of the South-South.
As party leaders meet to fine-tune the zoning and sharing formula, the interest of the South-South must be uppermost in the hearts of all those charged with the arduous responsibility to taking the decision on behalf of the rest of us.  The APC government needs to take heed with addressing the development challenges of the Niger Delta and this begins with what key  political positions are  given to the people under the zoning/sharing formula.
These are very serious issues and a defining moment that calls for the attention of all well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad. This is the first time in the last 16 years of our civilian rule that a new political party will be taking over to form a government and if care is not taken, this matter is capable of making the incoming government morally dead on arrival.
Mr. Dan Owegie is a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.