Rotational presidency: ILDF, Chairman drag Federal Character Commission, INEC, 18 political parties to court

The Igbo Leadership Development Foundation (ILDF) and its Chairman, Dr. Godwin Ifeanyi Udibe through their Counsel Barr. John Nwobodo today took out an originating summons at the Federal High Court, Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1149/2021 against the Federal Character Commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the remaining 15 registered political parties in Nigeria seeking among others the following reliefs:

1. A DECLARATION that the Federal Character Commission is constitutionally bound to promote, monitor and enforce equitable zoning or rotation of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, between Northern and Southern Nigeria and among the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria in accordance to the principles contained in section 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and/or any other formula and guidelines to be made in connection thereto.
2. A DECLARATION that based on the Federal Character of Nigeria, the South East geo-political zone is entitled to the exclusion of any other Zone in Nigeria to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.
3. AN ORDER mandating the 3^rd to 20^th defendants to present only South East indigenes as their Presidential Candidates for the 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria.
4. AN ORDER restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting nominations of persons who are not indigenes of South East geo-political zone from the 3^rd to 20^th defendants or any registered political party for the 2023 Presidential Election.

The affidavit in support of the originating summons reads in part:

1. I know as a fact that the 3^rd to 20^th defendants have always handled the issue of selection or nomination of their presidential candidates as internal affairs of the political parties.
2. That to be certain what the constitutional provision is on the federal character of Nigeria, the Plaintiffs hereby initiate this suit.
3. I know as a fact that Nigeria will be 63 years since gaining independence on 1 October 1960 by 2023.
4. I also know as a fact that from 1960 to 2019, Nigeria has had 20 leadership successions as chronicled hereunder:

(1)     1 October 1960-1 October 1963

(2)     1 October 1963-16 January 1966

(3)     16 January 1966-29 July 1966

(4)     1 August 1966-29 July 1975

(5)     29 July 1975-13 February 1976

(6)     13 February 1976-1 October 1979

(7)     1 October 1979-1 October 1983

(8)     1 October 1983-31 December 1983

(9)     31 December 1983-27 August 1985

(10)   27 August 1985-26 August 1993

(11)   26 August 1993-17 November 1993

(12)   17 November 1993-8 June 1998

(13)   9 June 1998-29 May 1999

(14)   29 May 1999-29 May 2003

(15)   29 May 2003-29 May 2007

(16)   29 May 2007-5 May 2010

(17)   5 May 2010-29 May 2011

(18)   29 May 2011-29 May 2015

(19)   29 May 2015-29 May 2019

(20)   29 May 2019-29 May 2023

5. That in the entire 20 intervals of succession both under the Military and Civilian regimes, the South East occupied the office of Head of Government of Nigeria on two intervals only, that is, 1 October 1963-16 January 1966 (2 years, 3 months, 16 days) and 16 January 1966-29 July 1966 (6 months, 14 days) totaling 2 years 10 months in all.
6. That within the corresponding period aforesaid, the South South occupied the office of Head of Government of Nigeria on two intervals only, that is, 5 May 2010-29 May 2011(1 year, 24 days) and 29 May 2011-29 May 2015 (4 years) totaling 5 years 24 days.
7. That also within the corresponding period, the South West occupied the office of Head of Government of Nigeria at four intervals, that is, 13 February 1976-1 October 1979 (3 years, 7 months, 15days), 26 August 1993-17 November 1993 (2 months, 9 days), 29 May 1999-29 May 2003 (4 years) and 29 May 2003-29 May 2007 (4 years) totaling 11 years, 10 months.
8. That the 8 intervals of succession by the entire South amounted to 19 years, 8 months and 24 days whereas the remainder of 44years in 12 intervals of succession was in the North.
9. I know that the fact deposed to in paragraph 11 above, has led to the predominance of persons from the Northern section of the Country in the Government of the Federation.
10. I know as a fact that the situation negates the federal character of Nigeria.
11. That the Federal Character Commission, the 1^st defendant herein abdicated its constitutional duty of promoting, monitoring and enforcing equitable zoning/rotation of the political post of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
12. I know that the Presidency of Nigeria is of monumental importance and of interest to every section of Nigeria to be left to the discretion, political maneuvering, and whims and caprices of politicians and political parties.
13. I know that unless the Court intervenes and grants the Plaintiffs application, it will be an illusion for the South East to clinch the office of the President of Nigeria in 2023.
14. That the South East being the zone or section with the least opportunity to have headed the Government of the Federation is entitled to the exclusion of other zones or sections of Nigeria to produce the President of Nigeria in the next election in 2023.
15. That the Plaintiffs action is borne out of patriotism to preserve the unity of Nigeria and to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not actuated by motives of political pontification or grandstanding.
16. That granting this application will promote the lofty vision of Nigeria as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state.