According to a report from Channel News on April 29 2026, former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouk Aliyu, has argued that zoning key party positions to regions with lower political numbers would be detrimental to the ruling All Progressives Congress, describing such an arrangement as “an injury to the party.”
Aliyu made the remark on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he weighed in on the growing debate over zoning and political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, political decisions within the APC should reflect electoral strength and contribution, rather than what he suggested would be sentimental zoning arrangements. He maintained that allocating major positions to zones with less numerical strength could weaken the party’s internal balance and undermine its competitiveness.
“Zoning to where number is less is an injury to the party,” Aliyu said, insisting that the party must take into account regions that have consistently delivered strong electoral support when making strategic decisions.
His comments come amid renewed debate within the APC and across the political landscape over power rotation, party inclusiveness and the future of zoning as a stabilising mechanism in Nigerian politics.
Aliyu argued that while zoning has historically served as a tool for balancing interests and managing diversity, it should not override political realities or ignore what he described as the importance of numbers in democratic contests.
The APC chieftain’s position is likely to stir further discussion, particularly as party stakeholders continue consultations over succession politics and possible alignments ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Debates over zoning have intensified in recent months, with some political actors pushing for strict adherence to regional power rotation, while others argue that competence and electoral viability should take precedence.
Aliyu’s intervention adds to voices within the ruling party questioning whether zoning should remain the dominant framework for distributing political offices.
His remarks also underscore broader tensions within the APC over how to balance inclusivity with electoral strategy, especially as conversations around party unity and future leadership gather momentum.
The discussion on Sunrise Daily reflects the wider national conversation over representation and power-sharing, issues expected to remain central as preparations for 2027 gradually take shape……See More
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