Mr Akeredolu called on the APC NWC to urgently convey a meeting of the NEC of the party for a " robust National Caucus/Stakeholders parley to agree on terms that would strengthen our great party."
Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has condemned the zoning arrangement of the APC per the leadership of the forthcoming 10th National Assembly which will be inaugurated in June.
In the zoning arrangement by the NWC of the ruling party, which is believed to have the imprimatur of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, the South-south is to produce the senate president while the North-west will produce the deputy senate president.
Similarly, the North-west is expected to produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives while the South-east will produce the deputy speaker.
Accordingly, based on the zoning arrangement, the leadership of the APC has endorsed Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom(South-south) and Jibrin Barau from Kano State(north-west) as the senate president and deputy senate president respectively while it also endorsed Tajudden Abass from Kaduna State(North-west) and Benjamin Kalu from Abia State(South-east) as the speaker and deputy speaker.
Condemning the zoning, which he described as skewed, Mr Akeredolu, in a press statement he personally signed on Wednesday, said the purported arrangement stands logic on its head as one geo-political zone, North-west, will be favoured with two presiding officers out of four while the North-central despite its loyalty to the party won't have any
The governor, who is the chairperson of the Southwest Governors' Forum, said the move to zone the National Assembly leadership positions by some interested personalities perceived to be close to Mr Tinubu manifestly lays "the dangerous foundation of distrust, needless suspicion even as it structures nothing but a combination of booby traps", which he said must be avoided.
He commended some aspirants to the office of the speaker of the House who have rejected the zoning, saying they must ensure they pursue their objection of what he described as a teleguided arrangement to a logical conclusion.
Mr Akeredolu, who recently returned to the country from his annual leave, called on the APC NWC to urgently convey a meeting of the NEC of the party for a " robust National Caucus/Stakeholders parley to agree on terms that would strengthen our great party."
Read the full statement below:
PROPOSED APC ZONING FORMULA FOR NASS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IS A SKEWED ARRANGEMENT THAT REINFORCES INJUSTICE AND ENHANCES INEQUITY
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 from 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, Northwest 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.
Therefore, the move to zone the National Assembly leadership positions on the behest of interested personalities with perceived closeness to the President-elect manifestly, lays the dangerous foundation of distrust, needless suspicion even as it structures nothing but a combination of booby traps. We must avoid all these.
Let the North play a stronger, more robust and all-inclusive roles 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.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
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.
I call on the NWC of our great Party to follow the path of purity and Justice. It is perhaps expedient that Mr. President-elect interrogates this skewed arrangement and give direction that reflects our collective commitment to equality and fairness.
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.
Signed:
Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON
Governor, Ondo State and Chairman Southwest Governors' Forum
