ADC Aspirant Criticizes Zoning Amid Crises

A presidential aspirant for Nigeria's African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatudeen, criticized the national focus on zoning debates, arguing they distract from critical threats like insecurity, economic decline, and unemployment. He made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television's Political Paradigm program.

Hayatudeen, a banker, economist, and public policy expert who previously sought the presidency on the Peoples Democratic Party platform, called for discourse centered on tangible crises. "Last week, 416 people were abducted and threatened with execution. What has that got to do with zoning? The thousands of our fellow citizens killed over the last three years, what has that got to do with zoning? The mother who cannot afford to buy food at the market, the father who cannot send his child to school. What has any of that got to do with zoning?" he asked.

He advocated for leaders selected based on character, competence, and empathy rather than regional origin. "It doesn't matter where you come from. What matters is that you have the capacity, the skill, the vision and the deep empathy to deliver for every single Nigerian," Hayatudeen said.