The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday zoned the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, the zoning arrangement reported to the NWC is as follows: Senate President – South-South Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Deputy Senate President – North West-Senator Barau Jubrin (Kano).
Others are the Speaker of the House of Representatives (North-West), Abass Tajudeen (Kaduna), Deputy Speaker, South East, -Hon. Ben Kalu (Abia).
The announcement of the zoning arrangement according to Morka, followed a meeting yesterday by the NWC to consider reports of consultations and meetings held with the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, and other stakeholders on the zoning arrangement for the 10th National Assembly.
But senators-elect across political parties rejected the zoning arrangements by the NWC of the APC on the election of 10th National Assembly presiding officers.
However, Morka said the NWC called for further and better consultation with necessary stakeholders to assure the support of the aspirants to the National Assembly leadership positions and members of the party nationwide.
The party urged its leaders, members, and all Nigerians to continue to work for the peace and progress of the country during and beyond the current period of leadership transition.
•Senators-elect reject imposition, insist on electing presiding officers
Meanwhile, senators-elect across political parties yesterday rejected the zoning arrangements by the NWC of the APC on the election of 10th National Assembly presiding officers.
They spoke in separate interviews at the induction programme organised for them by the National Assembly Management in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.
The senators-elect said the only way to achieve full independence of the parliament was to follow the constitutional provisions on the emergence of presiding officers.
Senator-elect Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said members of the 10th Senate would reject any attempt by the executive to pocket the legislature.
He said, “The overwhelming majority of the senators-elect believe that we must be independent. That is the only way we can take the executive to account.
“The parliament is not meant to be pocketed by the executive. Some of us are already well-established before we came here. So, we are not pushovers. We are very independent-minded.
“The defining issue for us is to have an independent National Assembly. We must be independent of the executive. As a third arm of government, we must hit the ground running.
“We should not have leaders that are imposed on us by the executive. In this case, the issue of South-East must be taken into account.”
Similarly, Senator-elect, Abdulraham Kawu Samaila, a former minority leader of the House of Representatives, now representing Kano South on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), maintained that any attempt to impose presiding officers on the 10th National Assembly would fail.
Samaila said, “On the issue of the Senate Presidency, we should follow the constitution. There is a clear and express provision in the constitution that allows members of the National Assembly to choose their presiding officers amongst themselves irrespective of party affiliation, religious or ethnic considerations.
“Each of us has the qualification to lead the chambers as presiding officers in the National Assembly. It is not a just cause to say that the Senate Presidency should go to the South because of religion. It is against the constitution and morally it is wrong.
“It is against the character of democracy. We are practicing constitutional democracy and a presidential system of government that provides for the National Assembly, Executive, and Judiciary.
“The parliament is an independent arm of government. The executive is detached from the parliament and judiciary. Therefore, we are canvassing a situation where we will have a true separation of power.
“Let the executive led by Mr President, exercise its power to balance its positions. Let us as the legislature, also exercise our powers.
“The executive can suggest but it is our right to do what the constitution provides. The head of the judiciary, for instance, is from Oyo State, the same geopolitical zone as the President-elect.”
•I’m not worried, says Akpabio
However, the anointed candidate of the APC NWC for the position of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has said he was not bothered by the rejection of zoning arrangements by some senators-elect.
“Justice has been done at the end of the day in terms of balancing the political equation of the country to ensure peaceful tenure for the incoming president.”
On the fact that some aggrieved APC aspirants are forming alliances with opposition political parties, Akpabio said he was not worried about it because it remained a normal legislative practice.
He said, “I am not worried at all. It is a normal thing. I always described politics as a game of concentric circles of conspiracy. I am not worried about anything. I believe strongly that the will of God will be done.
“My colleagues would decide my fate on the floor during the inauguration. The senators-elect would take a decision.
“The lawmakers would elect the next Senate President. I believe that there should be cooperation between the parties and the lawmakers.
“Once the leadership is put in place, there should be a collaboration between the leadership and the Parliament to ensure a smooth administration.
“We are all mutually dependent on one another while at the same time, exercising our legislative duties and independence. On the whole, I believe that we can only get better as our democracy matures.”
•Kalu, Izunaso vow to run
Akpabio’s position was countered by an aspirant from the South-East geopolitical zone, Senator Osita Izunaso, who insisted that he was still in the race.
He said, “The most natural thing for the APC to do is to zone the office of the Senate President to the South-East. It is long overdue.
“If you are ever contemplating zoning to the South, it is a natural thing that it should go to the South-East. The zone has been part of the process.
“South-East voted for the APC. If you tell me that the South-East did not vote for the APC, I will tell you that you are not saying the truth.
“Despite the pressure on the South-East regarding Peter Obi’s candidature, we were able to deliver six senate seats and two governors. Labour Party (LP) has six senators while the PDP has two.
“APC members In the South-East have done exceedingly well. South-East senators-elect met yesterday and we are categorical that the office of the Senate President should be zoned to the South East in the spirit of justice, equity, and balance.
“If we must achieve oneness and unity of Nigeria, the Senate President must be zoned to the South East. That is our standpoint and personally, I am not ready to step down for anybody. I’m running for the position of the Senate President.”
Meanwhile, the Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has written personal letters to the members of NWC of the APC and 108 senators-elect of his interest to be the next Senate President.
This is even as he refuted the news making round that the South East Senators elect endorsed him, explaining that the Senators -Elect from the South East only met to make a demand from the President-Elect and the APC.
In an official statement released by the Media office of the Chief Whip on Monday afternoon, Kalu in the letters he signed and addressed to each of the NWC members and senators-elect said he was offering himself for the position of the Senate President to the Nigerian people, the senators-elect and the party with sincerity of heart, humility, and candour.
Kalu also noted that his seemingly inactive in the contest for the senate president was because of the one-month mourning of his late wife, Mrs Ifeoma Ada Kalu
Attached to the letters of intent was a copy of Kalu’s Legislative agenda which has six priorities.
