Amid the controversy over the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)s zoning arrangements, a number of northern leaders on Friday, resolved that the Party must cede control of the National Assembly and other key ministerial appointments to the region.
The northern leaders stated their position when they met at the Arewa House, Kaduna State, on the occasion of a one day round table on ‘Nation Building and Democracy’, with the theme: The imperative of participation, equity and equitable development of Northern Nigeria, powered by the Democratic Research Institute (DRI).
In an issued communiqu, signed by the Chairman of the Communique Committee Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, and Secretary, Dr. Benjamin Izra Dikki, the leaders maintained that because the North was not in control of both the Executive and the Judiciary arms of government, their demand was non-negotiable.
This is as a group of All Progressives Congress (APC) senators and senators-elect, under the umbrella of Stability Group, led by Senator Godswill Akpabio, met the State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in Lagos on Sunday, and the former Akwa-Ibom State governor read out his credentials to restate his eligibility for the post of senate president.
During the meeting he declared that 86 senators would back his bid, but only a handful were with him on the occasion. A few days ago, he had been more optimistic. Proceeding his speech, when he was first officially anointed for the role by the partys leadership in Abuja a fortnight ago, Akpabio had declared that his choice was Gods plan for the country. However, with spirited opposition mounted by his colleagues, the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs must have realized that becoming senate president wont come easy.
The decision of the ruling APC to zone principal offices of the 10th National Assembly down to him and other individuals has prompted a revolt in the ruling party, presenting Bola Tinubu, the countrys president-elect, with the first headache of managing a diverse nation with contending interests.
Similarly, in the House of Representatives, the seat of speaker was zoned to the northwest, with Kaduna lawmaker, Tajudeen Abbas, chosen, while Ben Kalu, a Reps-elect from South-East, clinched the Deputy Speaker slot.
His announcement has since set off a firestorm. Lawmakers and lawmakers-elect from the South-East, and across the North, notably the North-Central and the North-West, have been up in arms, insisting on either senate presidency or house speaker, or indeed a complete control of the the legislature, as compensation for ceding executive power.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, both Abdul-Aziz Yari, former Zamfara State governor, who is insisting on becoming Senate President, and Orji Kalu, alongside their allies, met on Thursday and presented a protest letter to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu.
Speaking at the meeting in Abuja, Yari said they were not satisfied with the zoning arrangement. Equally speaking on the occasion, Kalu maintained that it was only proper for the southeast to produce the senate president, noting that he wont abide by the zoning arrangement of the ruling party.
On his part, Adamu, who admitted that the APC did not make adequate consultations before settling for Akpabio and others, said the partys leadership would go through their letter to address their grievances.
Meanwhile, amid the spirited agitations by the north for the leadership of the National Assembly, Kashim Shettima, vice-president-elect, has implored lawmakers-elect to accept the zoning arrangement of the party.
Shettima, who spoke during a meeting with some of the House of Representatives members-elect on Friday, said APC seeks to avoid a situation, where all the top officials of the incoming administration would be of the same faith. According to him, the circumstance could validate the negative narrative of the Islamisation agenda of Nigeria.
The former Borno State governor added that the leadership of the forthcoming National Assembly must be inclusive, because the stability of the nation is much more important than any other consideration.
In the immediate, however, Tinubu would be more preoccupied with putting his anticipated administration in shape, ahead of his May 29 official inauguration as president.
