NASS Leadership: Cracks in APC as members disagree over zoning arrangement
Many APC members have condemned the sharing formula for the leadership of the 10th national assembly.
The endorsement of former minority senate leader and ex-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio by the ruling All Progressives Congress for the position of the President of the Senate for the 10th National Assembly is causing rancour in the party.
Many members of the party vying for the role have faulted and rejected the party’s position on the upcoming national assembly leadership.
On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, aggrieved aspirants for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives stormed the party’s headquarters in Abuja to demand fresh zoning formula.
The recent National Working Committee of the ruling party endorsement of Akpabio from the South-South and Senator Barau Jibrin from the North-West as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively as well as the endorsement of Tajudeen Abass from the North-West and Benjamin Kalu from the South-East as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively has not gone down well with stakeholders as the development continues to generate rancour within the party and among lawmakers.
One of the aspirants for Senate Presidency, Senator Osita Izunaso, has cautioned the leadership of the party saying the zoning arrangement has created tension in the party.
He advised the party to come up with a different arrangement that would foster cohesion among members.
While speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, the senator from Imo State said he is the most suitable candidate for the office of the President of the Senate.
He said, “If you want to go with the Not-Too-Young Act, one of the greatest achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, I am the youngest of all the aspirants, the face of the youths, representing the most agitated demography in the country today. It is me. I am indeed the best and the next person for Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Emi Lokan”.
Also condemning the zoning arrangement, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State pointed out the lopsidedness in the nominations for the 10 national assembly leadership.
In a statement he issued on Wednesday, the governor said the zoning formula represented “early signs of steps aimed at attempts to cabin the hard-earned Presidency for our leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu by a few individuals with eyes on ‘Aso Rock power buttons.”
Akeredolu drew attention to the allocation of two positions to the North-West while the North-Central got none.
The statement reads in part, “It is trite to aver that it stands logic on the head that one geo-political zone, North-West in this regard, will be favoured with two presiding officers positions out of four while North-Central suffers the consequences for its innocence and shrewd loyalty by having none.
“It is an insidious permutation that North-East will be deprived in the face of the unsavoury generosity dispensed through two slots to a particular geo-political zone. It is self-repudiating for one to argue, therefore, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot also emerge from the North-East.
He added that the move to zone the national assembly leadership on the behest of interested personalities with perceived closeness to the President-elect is dangerous for the party.
Describing the development as an ‘unworkable arrangement’, Akeredolu said the zoning formula reinforced injustice and enhances inequity.
In the same vein, lawmakers from the North Central have kicked against the zoning formula that excluded their region from the leadership of the next national assembly.
In a letter to the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, the lawmakers said their rights and privileges were denied despite their region playing a role in the political stability of the country.
The letter reads in part, “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 an 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. This can only happen if fairness, equity and justice are ensured. It is on record that the North-Central gave the APC 41 per cent of her votes to victory, hence we equally deserve as others.”
Meanwhile, in a bid to appease the North-Central region, the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly expressed his preference to pick his Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) from the region.
Politics
“It is self-repudiating for one to argue, therefore, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot also emerge from the North-east.”
There is no end in sight to the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, as some key stakeholders have been simmering with resentment since the party announced its nominations for principal positions in the federal legislature on Monday.
Chairman, South West Governors’ Forum and Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday, rejected the proposed zoning formula, saying it is brazenly skewed, unjust, and targeted against some zones and individuals.
Some aspirants to the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives and several members-elect also warned the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and other party stakeholders to prepare for a repeat of the 2015 scenario should the party allow the released zoning formula to stand. Senators and House of Representatives members had in 2015 defied the ruling party’s choices and elected their own independent candidates for principal positions in the two chambers of the National Assembly.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Idris Wase, said the APC leadership betrayed the lawmakers by deciding on the nominations without proper consultation with members. Wase insisted the zoning would not stand.
Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), equally, cautioned against any attempt to foist a leadership on the National Assembly, saying it would be roundly resisted.
But the APC consensus candidate for House Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said efforts were being made to pacify co-aspirants, who were aggrieved by the decision of the party.
Nonetheless, one of the aspirants to the 10th Senate presidency, Senator Osita Izunaso, insisted his aspiration was in the best interest of the country, and he was in the race to win.
The APC leadership had on Monday officially confirmed the endorsement of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godwill Akpabio, (from Akwa Ibom State in South-south) for Senate President, and Tajudeen Abbas (from Kaduna State in North-west) for Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Announcing the zoning formula, after an NWC meeting in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, also confirmed the endorsement of Senator Barau Jubrin (North-west) as Deputy Senate President, and Ben Kalu (South-east) as Deputy Speaker of the House.
However, not satisfied with the proposed zoning, Akeredolu, in a statement he personally signed, described the zoning plan as a skewed and unworkable arrangement that reinforced injustice and enhanced inequity.
The statement, titled, “Proposed APC Zoning Formula for NASS Leadership Positions is a Skewed Arrangement that Reinforces Injustice and Enhances Inequity,” read, “It is with great concern, and, indeed, with a huge burden that I read in the news of the purported zoning arrangement released by the National Working Committee of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as regards the leadership positions in the yet-to-be inaugurated National Assembly.
“Aside the unpretentious ambiguity in the purported press statement issued by the leadership of the APC, the contents, intentions and motives of the zoning formula represent early signs of steps aimed at attempts to cabin the hard-earned presidency for our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by a few individuals with eyes on ASO ROCK POWER BUTTONS.
“It is trite to aver that it stands logic on the head that one geo-political zone, North-west, in this regard, will be favoured with two presiding officers’ positions out of four while North-central suffers the consequences for its innocence and shrewd loyalty by having none.
“It is an insidious permutation that the North-east will be deprived in the face of the unsavoury generosity dispensed through two slots to a particular geo-political zone. It is self-repudiating for one to argue, therefore, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot also emerge from the North-east.”
Akeredolu alleged that the move to zone the National Assembly leadership positions on the behest of interested personalities with perceived closeness to the president-elect manifestly laid a dangerous foundation of distrust, needless suspicion, and structures nothing but a combination of booby traps, which the party must avoid.
The governor stated, “Let the North play a stronger, more robust and all-inclusive role in the emergence of the positions zoned to the region, especially the speakership. Furthermore, it strikes a huge ingratitude that the role of the Progressive Governors Forum appears unimportant.
“As leaders of the party in their respective states, there cannot be a greater disservice to them that a consensus was yet to be reached when the NWC hurriedly released a dangerous tool for the opposition in the guise of a zoning formula. To me, even on this note, it’s unacceptable.
“Does it not also exude a serious discomfort that the aspirants to the speakership were not consulted, approached and effectively engaged before the purported zoning formula? It does, and clearly so.
“It is in this regard that I salute the courage of the speakership aspirants for their show of solidarity, companionship and applaudable love for the party in their rejection, resentment and objection to the brazenly teleguided zoning arrangement that is skewed and targeted against some zones and identified individuals.
“Their action is commendable just as they are urged to ensure they pursue this to a logical conclusion. This is an unworkable arrangement that reinforces injustice and enhances inequity, and I join them in rejecting this zoning formula.”
Akeredolu called on the NWC of the party to follow the path of purity and justice. He charged Tinubu to interrogate the skewed arrangement and give direction that would reflect the party’s collective commitment to equality and fairness.
He stated, “In this particular case, and for the purpose of avoiding a repeat of untoward situations, it is advised that the APC NWC immediately summons the National Executive Committee (NEC) after robust National Caucus/Stakeholders parley to agree on terms that would strengthen our great party.”
