10th Senate: APC NWC States Stand On Zoning Arrangement

Aspirants contesting for leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly have intensified lobbying ahead of their inauguration in June.

With claims that the president-elect, Bola Tinubu might support the candidate from the South-South, Godswill Akpabio, some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) prefer an aspirant from the South-East for the sake of equity.

According to Punch, members of the NWC suggested that the Senate Presidency should be zoned to the South-East in the interest of fairness and national cohesion.

The National Chairman of the forum which is made up of the Conference of the APC Local Government Party Chairmen of Nigeria, Matthew Msughter, claimed that the forum took a stance after consulting with critical stakeholders in the overall interest of the party and the country.

Msughter speaking on how the next Senate President should emerge said, “As a forum of grassroots politicians who have always been with the people, we have widely consulted and have come to the realisation that the general wishes of Nigerians are that leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly should be zoned and shared among the geopolitical zones in the country.

“Standing on the wishes of the people, who we represent, we hereby passionately appeal to the leadership of our great party, the All Progressives Congress; that is, the National Working Committee, National Executive Committee, national caucus, as well as critical stakeholders of our great party, in the interest of equity, justice, fairness, unity and inclusiveness, to share and zone leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly as follows; Senate President, South-East; Deputy Senate President, North-Central; Speaker of the House of Representatives, North-West; and Deputy Speaker, South-South.”

While Akpabio seems to be the only candidate from the South-South, at least three aspirants are contesting for the Senate presidency from the South-East.

They are the senator-elect representing Imo West, Osita Izunaso, Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) and Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North).