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Division Within APC As Wase, North-central Lawmakers Reject Zoning Arrangement
The recent publication of its zoning arrangement by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has triggered rancour within its ranks after the North-central region was left out.
In its zoning formula announced on Monday, the APC endorsed Senator Godswill Akpabio from the South-South for Senate President and Senator Barau Jibrin from the North-West for the post of Deputy Senate President.
Speaker of the House of Representatives was proposed to Abbass Tajudeen from the North-West, while Benjamin Kalu from the South-East was preferred for the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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However, the zoning plan put forth by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership for key positions in the 10th National Assembly has been rejected by senators-elect from the North-Central geographical zone.
The North-Central caucus Senators-elect rejected the arrangement in a letter on Wednesday, claiming that it openly denies their rights and privileges.
18 senators-elect from various political parties signed the letter, which was headed “Resolution of the North Central Caucus of the 10th Senate on NASS Leadership Zoning.”
It reads, “We the North Central Senators-elect Caucus met on Monday the 8th May 2023 and resolved as follows:
“That the North Central as a geopolitical zone in Nigeria has paid its dues in the political stability of the country and shall continue to do so, but where we see open denial of our rights and privileges, we will have no option than to voice out in the interest of the zone and its people we represent.
“It is pertinent to know that we are fully committed to supporting the incoming administration of the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a better Nigeria. And this can only happen if Faimess, Equity and Justice are ensured. And it is on record that the North Central gave the APC 41% of her votes to victory, hence we equally deserve as others.
“Our caucus reviewed the proposed zoning structure released, and we are not pleased and comfortable with the allocation of the Positions of the Deputy Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly to a particular geopolitical zone of the country (Northwest), we hereby reject it.
“Sequel to the above, we as a caucus is calling on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to immediately retract its earlier decision which schemes us out of the power sharing formula of the Country and cede the position of the Deputy Senate President to the North Central Zone so as to ensure fairness.”
Wase Rejects Speakership Arrangement
Furthermore, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase has rejected his party’s zoning of the office of the Speaker of the yet-to-be inaugurated 10th National Assembly to Tajudeen Abbas from the North-West.
Wase noted that the zoning of the speaker’s office to the North-West without proper consultation is against the spirit of fairness and equity as he accompanied other irate members of the House to the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja.
In a meeting with the APC leadership, the disgruntled APC members stressed that the zoning system needed to be reviewed in the best interests of the party as a whole.
Five candidates, including Yusuf Gagdi, attended the meeting and demanded that the party take action to prevent a repeat of previous events.
The group submitted a petition opposing the zoning plan, and Adamu Abdullahi, the party’s national chairman, agreed to take it under consideration.
