…Insist on producing own leaders
A group of Senators-elect across different political parties have kicked against zoning arrangement and insisted on producing their own leaders in the red chamber.
The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had yesterday zoned the Senate leadership position to South-South and North West; however, some Senators-elect, at the 10th National Assembly Induction programme organized by the National Assembly, kicked against this development.
According to earlier reports, the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC), anointed former Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly, while Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas from Kaduna State has also been named as the Speaker of the House.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Felix Morka disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the end of the NEC meeting held yesterday at the National Secretariat of the Party in Abuja.
Opposing the zoning arrangements by APC, Senator Osita Izunaso 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”.
Also speaking on the issue of Senate Presidency, the Senator-elect on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) from Kano-South Senatorial District, AbdulRahman Kawu Sumaila said, “We should follow the Constitution. There is a clear and express provision in the Constitution which allows members of the National Assembly to choose their presiding officers amongst themselves irrespective of party affiliation, religious or ethnic considerations.
“Therefore, we are canvassing a situation where we will have 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 ours to do what the Constitution provides”.
