Except the move drowns in the murky waters of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) politics and the raging National
Assembly (NASS) leadership crisis, the South-South geopolitical zone may
produce the next deputy Senate president.
APC national chairman,
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, declared yesterday that except for the Senate
president and speaker of the House of Representatives, which have been
settled, other NASS positions were yet to be zoned.
Oshiomhole, however, said that the South-South is being considered for the office of the deputy Senate president.
Mr. Simon Egbebulem, stated that APC was yet to zone the Senate top
offices, but added that the South-South was in the picture for the
office of deputy Senate president.
There were media reports
that the party had already zoned the position to the South-South,
especially to Oshiomhole’s kinsman, Senator Francis Alimekhena, who has
been re-elected to represent Edo North Senatorial District in 9the
Assembly.
The report accused him of trying to corner the office for Alimikhena, but the APC chairman described the insinuations as untrue.
Oshiomohole
said: “Nothing like that has been done. Nobody has said this is the
person for that position. But the party is working on how to share the
position so that every part of the country will have a sense of
belonging.
“They have started the process and the party is
backing Femi Gbajabiamila and Ahmed Lawan for the position of Speaker
and Senate president respectively but for other positions, the party is
still working to sort out these offices,” he said.
Asked if the
South-South was being considered for the deputy Senate presidency, the
media aide replied affirmatively, but stressed that the final decision
lies with the party.
Other major contenders for the office are Senators Robert Ajayi Boroffice, Oluremi Tinubu and Ovie Omo-Agege.
Omo-Agege
is favoured to clinch the position because of his wide network within
the APC coupled with tha fact that he has commenced intensive lobby
amongst his colleagues.
Bago’s Speakership Bid Gains Traction
For
the speakership of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mohammed Umaru
Bago (North Central) has gained more support of those campaigning for
the zone to produce the next occupant of the office.
They argued
that since the Senate presidency has been zoned to the Northeast, Hon.
Abdulrazak Namdas (North-East) and the current House leader, Femi
Gbajiabiamila, the purported APC’s anointed candidate, should step down
for Bago because the Southwest has clinched the vice president’s slot.
Gbajiabiamila hails from Lagos State in the Southwest where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a prominent indigene.
Bago’s
(APC Niger) supporters insisted last night that he is the best to
represent the North Central zone, stressing that the region plays the
balancing act in the nation’s politics and should not be denied the
speakership slot for the fact it has never produced a presiding officer
in the Green Chamber.
Already, the North Central Caucus of the
Lower House has added its voice to the debate and clamour as it called
on the APC to do justice to all concerned.
The caucus said: “We
want to use this medium to acknowledge the supremacy of our party, the
APC, in addressing the issue of zoning of positions in an equitable,
just and fair manner that will foster unity and cordial relations among
members of our party and our colleagues from the other political
divides.
“We are confident of the ability and capacity of the
national leadership of the APC to do right to all in order to advance
national cohesion, balance of power and federal character.
“It is
in this regard that we humbly wish to appeal to our great party to
strongly consider the North Central geo-political zone for the position
of speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.
“We
are mindful of the fact that events that surrounded the emergence of
leaders of previous assemblies can provide ample guide for our great
party to avoid past pitfalls and engender harmony, peace and stability
in the House of Representatives as partners in progress with the
executive,” the caucus said through Hon. John Dyegh (Benue) at a press
conference.
Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase from Plateau State in the North Central zone is also in the speaker’s race.
Meanwhile,
House of Representatives members-elect from Benue and Plateau States
have endorsed the candidacy of Hon. John Dyegh (APC, Benue) for the
speaker’s office for balance, justice and equality.
Dyegh is the
fourth contestant to officially declare his intention forthe race. He is
also the third member-elect from the North Central contesting the
position after Bago and Wase.
