Quoting renown Physicist, Albert Eistein, who said ”it amounts to insanity to keep doing the same thing and expect different result”, el-Rufai told THISDAY in an e-mail interview yesterday that zoning has failed the country in the past and that there is no reason why it should be foisted on Nigerians again.
He said if the arrangement has not given Nigeria the best leadership and yet we still want to continue with it, "the logical conclusion is that we do not desire the best leadership and are satisfied with mediocrity."
He added: "My opinion is that popularity with the electorate in a free and fair election should be the sole basis for winning elective positions and merit should likewise be the sole basis for appointive positions."
He said it is imperative for the Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the full implementation of the report of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais' committee on electoral reform, warning that without the reforms, the country will witness the same mess it has seen in past elections.
The former minister said Nigeria has to mature in democracy, adding that the best way to achieve this will be to leave the assessment entirely to Nigerians who will appraise the aspirants with their votes.
On the choice of leaders to look for in making decisions at future polls, the former minister said Nigerians should look at the aspirants' past records.
"How can a person change his character in old age? If when an aspirant was in the prime of his life he was a failure at leadership, a champion of corruption and a setback to Nigeria, how would you expect a different result later in life? So my advice to Nigerians is to look at their past. By their past shall you know them," he added.
ElRufai denied reports in some quarters that he had offered himself to work with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, saying what he said was he was willing to support the Acting President to run in 2011 "if he can show that he has the capacity to make the changes that Nigeria needs."
He added: "My preoccupation is to advance the cause of good governance and democracy in Nigeria without sitting behind a desk in a government office."
