Former Nigerian Vice President Alex Ekwueme played a key role in shaping ideas about Nigeria’s political structure during the 1995 Constitutional Conference convened by the military government of Sani Abacha.

At the conference, Ekwueme proposed dividing the country into six geopolitical zones: North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-East, South-South, and South-West. This framework was designed to promote balance, equity, and fair representation among Nigeria’s diverse regions and has since become a widely recognized way of organizing the country politically and administratively.

Ekwueme also suggested a presidential system with a single, nonrenewable five-year term for the President. In his proposal, the President would be supported by six Vice Presidents—each representing one of the six geopolitical zones, including the President’s own zone. The same single five-year term structure was also proposed for state governors.

Additionally, he recommended that if the President died, resigned, or was removed from office, the Vice President from the President’s geopolitical zone would complete the remainder of the President’s term.

This arrangement was intended to maintain regional balance and political stability within the proposed system.