Fidelis David writes that Ondo state Governor and Chairman of Soutern Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, described last week's zoning arrangement released by the leadership of his party, the All Progressives Congress, for the presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly as brazenly unjust and skewed.
he APC leadership last Monday officially confirmed the endorsement of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator 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, the zoning formula has caused so much discontent among political stakeholders and lawmakers, who described the move as undemocratic.
Also, the move left open the possibility of a scenario where the minority parties can retake control of the green chamber if their combined strength operates on the same page and this, the PDP, as the main opposition party, senses that it might be able to pull off the 2015 Saraki/Dogara coup by galvanizing the other minority parties to challenge the ruling party, which itself, has been seemingly unfair the directions it wants to go.
The PDP has 29 Senators and 102 members of House of Representatives-elect for the 10th Assembly. However, in 2015, it had 48 senators and 140 members which enabled Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara to seize control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives after the 2015 elections.
The proposed zoning formula by APC National Working Committee (NWC) was also rejected by the Chairman, South West Governors' Forum and Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, saying it is brazenly skewed, unjust, and targeted against some zones and individuals.
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 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.
"The action of the Speakership aspirants 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 then 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.
Hope 2015 Scenario Won't Come into Play?
Meanwhile, 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.
Also, some members-elect alleged that the current crisis is being caused by the Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila, advising Tinubu not to be misled by Gbajabiamila but should consult widely among lawmakers to know the facts on ground.
For the speakership position, it was also learnt that aspirants are now seeking to form a consensus candidate to tackle Tajudeen Abbas. Recall that aggrieved lawmakers -- Muktar Betara, Idris Wase, Aminu Jaji, Alhassan Doguwa, and Sada Soli -- allied in a bid to battle Abbas, the candidate said to have been endorsed by the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
In the same vein, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) warned that any attempt to foist a National Assembly leadership on the country would be completely resisted.
Spokesperson of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, while addressing a press conference in Abuja, called on the leadership of APC to reclaim its statesmanship by immediately reversing the decision on Akpabio and Abbass.
With members-elect for the 10th Assembly, it is obvious that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become weakened compared to its performance in previous exercises. This suggests that it has a more minimal leverage in the race to produce the presiding officers of the legislature. Therefore, the APC must put its house in order to avoid PDP, working with other minority parties to take control of the leadership of the NASS.
However, with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, currently on a trip outside there seems to be a vacuum and the decision on the race appears to be facing uncertainty until his return.
In conclusion, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has admitted that the leadership of the ruling party did not consult sufficiently before arriving at its position on zoning and choice of nominees for the headship of the 10th National Assembly. Therefore, the leadership of the ruling party should set the stage for the emergence of a credible National Assembly leadership through democratic elections by its members as enshrined in the constitution.
As Akeredolu Kicks against APC's Zoning Formula for 10th N'Assembly...
Fidelis David writes that Ondo state Governor and Chairman of Soutern Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, described last week's zoning arrangement released by the leadership of his party, the All Progressives Congress, for the presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly as brazenly unjust and skewed.
he APC leadership last Monday officially confirmed the endorsement of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator 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, the zoning formula has caused so much discontent among political stakeholders and lawmakers, who described the move as undemocratic.
Also, the move left open the possibility of a scenario where the minority parties can retake control of the green chamber if their combined strength operates on the same page and this, the PDP, as the main opposition party, senses that it might be able to pull off the 2015 Saraki/Dogara coup by galvanizing the other minority parties to challenge the ruling party, which itself, has been seemingly unfair the directions it wants to go.
The PDP has 29 Senators and 102 members of House of Representatives-elect for the 10th Assembly. However, in 2015, it had 48 senators and 140 members which enabled Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara to seize control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives after the 2015 elections.
The proposed zoning formula by APC National Working Committee (NWC) was also rejected by the Chairman, South West Governors' Forum and Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, saying it is brazenly skewed, unjust, and targeted against some zones and individuals.
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 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.
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"The action of the Speakership aspirants 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 then 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.
Hope 2015 Scenario Won't Come into Play?
Meanwhile, 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.
Also, some members-elect alleged that the current crisis is being caused by the Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila, advising Tinubu not to be misled by Gbajabiamila but should consult widely among lawmakers to know the facts on ground.
For the speakership position, it was also learnt that aspirants are now seeking to form a consensus candidate to tackle Tajudeen Abbas. Recall that aggrieved lawmakers -- Muktar Betara, Idris Wase, Aminu Jaji, Alhassan Doguwa, and Sada Soli -- allied in a bid to battle Abbas, the candidate said to have been endorsed by the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
In the same vein, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) warned that any attempt to foist a National Assembly leadership on the country would be completely resisted.
Spokesperson of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, while addressing a press conference in Abuja, called on the leadership of APC to reclaim its statesmanship by immediately reversing the decision on Akpabio and Abbass.
With members-elect for the 10th Assembly, it is obvious that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become weakened compared to its performance in previous exercises. This suggests that it has a more minimal leverage in the race to produce the presiding officers of the legislature. Therefore, the APC must put its house in order to avoid PDP, working with other minority parties to take control of the leadership of the NASS.
However, with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, currently on a trip outside there seems to be a vacuum and the decision on the race appears to be facing uncertainty until his return.
In conclusion, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has admitted that the leadership of the ruling party did not consult sufficiently before arriving at its position on zoning and choice of nominees for the headship of the 10th National Assembly. Therefore, the leadership of the ruling party should set the stage for the emergence of a credible National Assembly leadership through democratic elections by its members as enshrined in the constitution.
