10th NASS: A zone must not have two Presiding officers, Group tells APC, Tinubu

Forum 11 months ago

10th NASS: A zone must not have two Presiding officers, Group tells APC, Tinubu

AHEAD of the formal announcement of zoning of positions of Presiding officers for the Senate and the House of Representatives by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a group under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress, APC Integrity Group has asked Senator Abdullahi Adamu led National Working Committee, NWC to ensure that no one geo-political zone of the country produces two Presiding officers.

According to the group, the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu for equity and Justice must ensure that the positions are distributed among the zones rather than one zone getting two positions for both the Upper and lower Chambers in the yet-to-be-inaugurated 10th National Assembly.

The Presiding offices are the President of the Senate; the Deputy Senate President; the Speaker, House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives.

In a statement yesterday by the Coordinator and Secretary, Dawu Mohammed and Chisom Nwakanma respectively, the group noted that sensitive positions should be distributed evenly in order not to avert a crisis.

According to the group, there were already alignments and counter-alignments that would be injurious to the unity and existence of the party should they be allowed to exist.

Among those contesting for Senate Presiding Offices are: Senators Sani Musa, Niger State, North Central; Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom State, South South; Orji Uzor Kalu, Abia State, South East; Jibrin Barau, Kano State,, North West; Osita Izunaso, Imo State, South East; Ali Ndume, Borno State, North East and Abdullazizi Yari, Zamfara, North West.

For the House of Representatives are: Hons. Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna), Muktra Betara (Borno), Ahmed Idris Wase (Plateau), Ben Kalu (Abia), Miriam Onuoha (Imo), etc.

The statement read, “We have observed the horse trading going on about the presiding offices of the 10th Assembly and we consider it pertinent to advise that two presiding offices should not go to one geo-political zone. Doing so, we believe would be injurious to the unity and existence of the party.

“We, also consider it a concern that the NWC of our party had till date not been able to come up with the zoning formula. This situation had led to different interests and agitations that we are witnessing among our elected lawmakers.

“The APC Integrity Group expect that those take lawmakers to the President-elect for endorsement should do that in the interest of the country and not because of juicy committees and other considerations.

“The President-elect and the party leadership should know that whatever crises that comes from the zoning and election of the presiding officers, they are responsible for them.

“It is our sincere view that the Deputy Senate President should be zoned to the North Central since the party is considering zoning the Speaker House of Representatives to the North West.

“For us, what is paramount is a viable 10th National Assembly, which we believe could be achieved with proper zoning and competent leadership.”