10th NASS: APC Yet To Adopt Zoning Arrangement, NWC Members Knock Salihu Lukman

Some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have revealed that the party is yet to adopt zoning arrangements for principal offices in the incoming 10th National Assembly.

Naija News reports that along with the current Senate President, Ahmed Lawan who has declared intention to lead the Red Chamber again, others include a former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; senator-elect representing Imo West, Osita Izunaso; Sani Musa (Niger East), Peter Ndubueze (Imo North), Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau.

It was however gathered from The Punch that some members of NWC of the APC have said the ruling party had not decided on the zoning of the Senate President, Speaker, and other principal offices.

The NWC members also slammed the National Vice Chairman of the party (North-West), Salihu Lukman, over his call for northern senators to withdraw from the race for the office of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.

Lukman had said it would be unfortunate to have Yari, Barau, or any other northern Muslim lawmaker emerge as the next Senate President at a time the APC desired to create a political balance of power.

But criticising his position, the APC’s National Vice Chairman (North Central), Muazu Rijau said, “It is Lukman’s personal opinion, not the party position. As a party man, he has a right to air his views. Therefore, his asking any northern aspirant to step down is his personal opinion.

“The party will decide on who or where they choose to zone the Senate presidency and Speaker offices after Sallah. Everything has been suspended for now.

“At the last NWC we had, we agreed to suspend talks on every issue till after Sallah. As you are aware, not all members are in town. Many of us have travelled.”

Another member of the NWC, and National Vice Chairman for the South-East, Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu also noted that “Well, it is easy for anybody to say Lukman’s statement favours us in the South-East or South-South. But he is speaking on his own accord.

“Nobody authorised him to say anything to that effect and he is not speaking the position of the NWC. For me being from the South-East, his comment favours me. But I can still say authoritatively that he is not speaking for the NWC.”