APC Zoning Crisis: Discord Persists Over Senate President, Speaker Positions

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently facing disagreements over the zoning of National Assembly leadership positions for the 10th Senate and House of Representatives.

Several stakeholders, including those from the North-Central and South-East geopolitical zones, have expressed dissatisfaction with the current zoning arrangement as announced by the APC National Working Committee. They claim that the arrangement does not reflect equity, fairness, and justice, with both zones feeling marginalized.

The North-Central APC stakeholders wrote a letter to the president-elect and the APC National Working Committee, highlighting their dissatisfaction and the need to revisit the zoning arrangement. They pointed out that the North-Central did not produce any presiding officer in the 9th Senate and should not be repeated in the 10th Senate. They emphasized the importance of the North-Central to the party’s success and governance and called for fair representation in the National Assembly leadership.

Similarly, the South-East APC stakeholders released a statement expressing their unhappiness with the zoning arrangement. They argued that the South-East has been marginalized and called on the party leadership to review the arrangement to ensure adequate representation for the South-East in the National Assembly leadership.

In response to the growing discord, President-Elect Bola Tinubu‘s camp has insisted that the zoning template was carefully considered and should be maintained. They urged the party members to support the arrangement and focus on the party’s unity.

Tinubu’s spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, said that the zoning template was a product of deep consultation among various stakeholders within the party and was designed to achieve a balanced distribution of positions among the geopolitical zones.

As disagreements continue to unfold, it remains to be seen if the APC can reach a compromise on the zoning issue or if the divisions within the party will further deepen ahead of the inauguration of the 10th Senate and House of Representatives.