The zoning crisis that has been plaguing the All Progressives Congress, also known as the APC, has taken a new and unexpected turn. Stakeholders within the party are now singing conflicting tunes, and the various zones are putting forward new demands to the party hierarchy.
On Monday, the APC National Working Committee, also known as the NWC, zoned the Senate Presidency of the forthcoming 10th National Assembly to the South-South, while the Speakership of the House of Representatives was zoned to the North-West. Both of these zoning decisions were made. Additionally, the party allocated the position of Deputy Senate Presidency to the North-West, and the position of Deputy Speakership to the South-East.
In particular, the party decided to adopt the zoning template and candidates proposed by its President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and to settle on Senators Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jubrin for leadership positions in the Senate, as well as Messrs. Abass Tajudeen and Ben Kalu for leadership positions in the House of Representatives.
While some interested parties stand behind the move made by the party, others are opposed to it and call for it to be examined further.
However, there is currently discord within the NWC regarding the micro-zoning of the positions. Yesterday evening, it became clear that the zoning template did not receive the approval of each and every member of the NWC in a unanimous vote.
Although many of the members did not outright disagree with Tinubu’s choice of geopolitical zones, it was said that they were opposed to the micro-zoning of the leadership positions within the organization.
“In fact, some of us were of the opinion that any resident of the zones to which a specific office has been allotted is eligible to run for that office. We did not want to be in a position where we would have to give positions to specific individuals. Because of this, we also suggested that there should be additional consultations,” explained an irritated member, who requested that his name not be mentioned for fear of the potential consequences of doing so.
He voiced his concern that other aggressive candidates, particularly those running for the House of Representatives, might band together to produce a formidable challenge to the candidate who had been chosen by the majority of voters, Tajudeen Abbas.
Why the North-West should hold the Position of Senate President
Some APC stakeholders in the North-West are dissatisfied with the allocation of slots for the speaker of the house and deputy president of the senate. According to them, the North-West gave Tinubu the highest number of votes among the two senators-elect from the zone who are competing for the seat. The current chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Jibrin representing Kano-North district, and former governor Abdulaziz Yari are vying for the seat. Tinubu received the most votes.
Insisting on producing the Senate President, a North-West APC stakeholder said, “Tinubu, candidate of the APC in the 2023 presidential election, is now the president-elect courtesy of the magnanimity and loyalty of the North-West, which gave him the highest votes in the election followed by the South-West.” Tinubu was the candidate for the APC in the 2023 presidential election. He is now the president-elect courtesy of the North-West. Therefore, there would be no chance of Tinubu becoming president if the North-west did not support him.
“To deny the North-West the leadership of the Senate would be analogous to testing the region’s and its people’s loyalty, and in the end, it would come with severe political repercussions.”
18 senators-elect from the North Central region kick
In a similar fashion, Senators-elect hailing from the North-Central zone have spoken out against the APC zoning template, asserting that it will not withstand the passage of time.
The senators-elect from the various political parties who objected to the zoning arrangements for the 10th National Assembly leadership wrote a letter of protest to the National Working Committee (NWC) that was led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu. In the letter, they demanded that the party immediately abandon the zoning arrangements, which they deemed to be inadmissible.
According to them, the geopolitical zone located in the north-central part of the country did not produce any presiding officers.
18 Senators-elect put their names on the letter that was sent out by the newly elected lawmakers. The letter was titled “Resolution of the North Central Caucus of the 10th Senate on NASS Leadership Zoning.”
The following is a portion of what was written in the letter: “We the North-Central Senators-elect Caucus met on Monday, May 8, 2023, and decided as follows:
“That the North-Central as a geopolitical zone in Nigeria has paid its dues in the political stability of the country and shall continue to do so, but where we see the open denial of our rights and privileges, we will have no option but to voice out in the interest of the zone and the people we represent,” the statement read. “That the North-Central as a geopolitical zone in Nigeria has paid its dues in the political stability of the country and shall continue to do so.”
“It is important that you are aware that we have made a firm decision to provide our full support to the incoming administration of President-elect Asiwaju Tinubu for the purpose of making Nigeria a better place.
This is not possible unless all parties involved are treated fairly and justice is served. It is known that the North-Central region contributed 41% of the votes that led the APC to victory; consequently, we deserve it just as much as anyone else does.
“After reviewing the proposed zoning structure that was made public, our caucus has come to the conclusion that the allocation of the positions of Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly to a specific geopolitical zone of the country (the North-West) is unfair and unsatisfactory. As a result, our caucus hereby votes to reject the proposed zoning structure.
“The customary practice has always been that each of the country’s six geopolitical zones will be allotted one of the six positions available.
“Now that the South-West and North-East have produced the President-elect and Vice President-elect respectively, it is only fair and natural that the positions of the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives should be shared among the other four geopolitical zones, that is, the North-Central, South-South, South-East, and North-West.
“As a follow-up to the aforementioned, we as a caucus are calling on the APC to immediately retract its earlier decision, which schemes us out of the power-sharing formula of the country, and cede the position of the Deputy Senate President to the North-Central Zone in order to ensure fairness, equity, and justice for a smooth 10th Senate,” the caucus said in a statement.
Tinubu is advised by Kawu to steer clear of sycophants.
In the meantime, Suleiman Kawu, who will represent the Kano South Senatorial District as a representative of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has cautioned Tinubu not to let sycophants trick him into making a poor choice regarding the leadership of the National Assembly. Kawu was elected to his position on the platform of the NNPP.
Yesterday, while speaking to members of the media in Abuja, Kawu stated that the only way that members of the 10th National Assembly could face the challenges that are currently facing the country is if they had the Constitution as their guide.
Kawu stated that “We are in touch with 109 senators and I will assure you that we have a serious number to stop imposition in the Senate or in the House of Representatives.” Kawu made this statement after noting that the majority of the newly elected lawmakers were already discussing working against the zoning arrangements announced by the APC.
N-Central is adamant that they should get the Speakership slot.
Additionally, a portion of the North-Central zone is advocating for the position of Speaker of the House. During a rally that took place yesterday at the APC National Secretariat, Dr. Ben Amodu, who is leading the North Central Democratic Coalition, made this demand known to the crowd.
He stated that “Today, the North Central Democratic Coalition elected to use this occasion of a rally to impress upon the NWC of the APC to activate all necessary mechanisms towards ensuring the speakership position for the 10th National Assembly is zoned to the North-Central region.” He went on to say that “Today, the North Central Democratic Coalition elected to use this occasion of a rally to impress upon the NWC of the APC.”
“Our region has been a consistent supporter of the APC, and we have contributed immensely to the success of the party in each election,” he said. “Our region has contributed immensely to the success of the party in each and every election.”
Amodu warned that failure to meet their demand would have political repercussions, and he stated that the North-Central region is an important bloc in Nigerian politics. He accused the APC of marginalizing the zone, and he warned that failure to meet their demand would have political repercussions.
“In the event that the North-Central is not carried along, it might send a strong message to the region that might come with some political consequences, as the case may be,” he said. “In the event that the North-Central is not carried along, it might send a strong message to the region that might come with some political consequences.”
Oyebanji, Ekiti Senators-elect back Akpabio
However, the governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, has stated that the state is committed to a unified and formidable 10th National Assembly, as well as the decision of the APC National Working Committee to zone the position of Senate President to the South-South region.
The announcement was made by the governor in Abuja, where he was also hosting Senator Godswill Akpabio and several senators-elect at the time.
At the meeting, there were also elected senators from the state of Ekiti present. Their names are Opeyemi Bamidele, Yemi Adaramodu, and Cyril Fasuyi.
Governor Oyebanji, when speaking with members of the media, stated that the decision made by the NWC regarding the leadership of the 10th National Assembly will not be changed.
Oyebanji stated, “In Ekiti State, we are committed to a united National Assembly, and we are also committed to the decision of the NWC of the APC with respect to the zoning, and you can attest to the fact that all of the Senators are here with me just to have dinner with Akpabio. We are also committed to the decision of the NWC of the APC with respect to the zoning.
We are supporting his aspiration in accordance with the instructions given to us by the national body of the party. We are in this together; we are not only supporting him, but we will publicly identify with him as well, and I have done that.
I’m prepared Akpabio
In addition, Senator Akpabio shared his thoughts, saying, “I had the opportunity to practice law for the past 36 years, I had the opportunity to serve in the executive branch as a commissioner, and I also had the opportunity to serve as governor for eight years.” I have served in the Senate in the past, and I was a leader in the Senate. I also had the opportunity to serve as a Minister. Today, by the grace of Almighty God and the decision of the National Working of our Party, I will have the honor of serving as a Senator-elect and a potential candidate for the presidency of the Senate.
“I’m ready to offer my full support to the incoming President, Tinubu, in his efforts to be successful. Despite the challenging conditions in terms of the economy and everything else, it looks like things are going to turn out well for Nigeria at this moment. We are going to do everything in our power to develop sound policies that will make it possible for people in Nigeria to put food on their tables and also generate job opportunities in an effort to cut down on banditry and increase national security. “We will unite the country, and we are resolute in our commitment to do so,” he stated.
A group from the South-East of the APC applauds the party’s decision.
In a similar fashion, the South-East/Igbo APC Progressives Roundtable, also known as SIAPRO, accepted the decision of the party leadership regarding the zoning template but sought deliberate measures to integrate the zone into the overall scheme of things within the APC and within Nigeria.
“We have seen the zoning arrangement for presiding officers and portfolios for the 10th National Assembly as prescribed by our great party, the APC,” the group wrote in a letter addressed to Tinubu, APC National Chairman, Senator Adamu, and APC governors, governors-elect, and national officers. The letter was signed by Dr. Uche Diala, director general; Mr. Emmanuel Molokwu, national secretary; and Mr. Charles Okoye, national publicity secretary. Even if we have some reservations about it, as true members of the party we will accept it out of complete loyalty and respect for the party’s position as the dominant group. We are confident that the party will make the decision that, in its judgment, is best for both the party and the nation.
“Without equivocation, South East and Igbo APC progressives are very concerned about how South East and Igbo APC progressive foot soldiers, who have given everything they had to give at the risk of their lives, properties, and livelihoods, will be treated in the future. Everyone is aware of the manner in which we have been dealt with over the past eight years. Despite this, we persevered, kept believing, and fought on because of our loyalty to our country and our convictions.
“We were able to observe the process that was used to form the previous Presidential Campaign Council. But despite everything, we continued to have faith and gave even more for the love of the country and the APC. This included making a contribution that was not insignificant to the success of our great party and Tinubu in the election that took place most recently.
“We have been watching how certain lists have been flying around recently, and we have quietly observed the composition and make-up of those lists as far as South East/Igbo APC Progressives are concerned. Recently, certain lists have been flying around, and we have been keeping track of them.
“We have also been reading how some of our fellow progressives essentially lump Igbos into the same basket as IPOB and Obidients without so much as showing any sensitivity for South East/Igbo APC Progressives, who defied all odds, vilification, and attacks from their kinsmen, but still kept believing and fighting for the good of Nigeria, the party, and the progressive cause.
“We cannot continue to pretend that we are unaware of or do not see what is taking place, nor can we maintain our silence,” she said. “If we truly desire and mean it that we seek deeper integration of Igbo and the South-East into the APC and back into the mainstream of the mainstream of the Nigerian national and political life, then deliberate and sincere action needs to be taken to ensure that South-East/Igbo APC Progressives who have been in the trenches since 2015 are not left behind once again.”
Gbaja’s men go after members-elect for signatures
In response to the demands, lawmakers who are believed to be loyal to Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, have begun a lobbying drive to collect signatures from members-elect.
The new information emerged in the wake of what a member of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) referred to as a “deliberate ambiguity” in a press statement that was issued by the party.
A member of the NWC, who requested anonymity in order to speak, stated that “the entire scenario is completely different from what it used to be.” In most cases, we divide the available positions up into areas or zones and then consider allowing interested parties to compete for those positions. In contrast, in this instance, all that was required of us was to accept what they said had been decided upon, and we (the NWC) were not invited to participate in the decision-making process in any way.
“Therefore, seeing as how that is what they want, we have returned it to both them and the general public so that they can start digging deeper into whatever ambiguity they can find. This is due to the fact that we were very deliberate and cautious in our correspondence because we are not infants.
“At this point, it is up to the various stakeholders to pursue any intervention, interpretation, and clarifications at any level,”
Recent Joiners to the New Dawn Movement
At the time this story was being written, a gathering of first-year students opposed to Tajudeen Abbas was about to get underway under the auspices of the New Dawn.
The purpose of the meeting was supposed to be the collection of signatures, but out of more than 200 new members, only about 23 of them showed up, and a few of them decided not to sign their names.
Wase, Ado-Doguwa, and a few others get together.
In the meantime, in response to the letter sent by the party’s NWC, aspirants for the House of Representatives, including Messrs. Yusuf Gagdi, Sani Jaji, Idris Wase, Alhassan Ado-Doguwo, Aliyu Betara, and Sada Soli, gathered in Abuja yesterday for a strategic meeting.
Candidates for a position in the National Assembly insisted that they would not change their stance on the issue of zoning for the position.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, one of the hopefuls offered their thoughts, saying, “Yes, we are moving forward together.”
The newly elected members of the NASS will vote on who will preside over the body. PDP or LP?
In the meantime, in response, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) dismissed the APC zoning arrangements yesterday, describing them as an internal party matter of the party.
Both Mr. Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary for the PDP, and Mr. Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary for the LP, gave their respective points of view regarding the topic in separate responses.
The zoning of the APC is an internal party matter—PDP
Ologunagba is quoted as saying, “I’m not a member of the other party, what they decide to do in this case is their business, and we will do our own.”
It was gathered that the party was trying to first put its house in order before making its stand on the issue public. Despite the fact that he did not commit to the specifics of what plans the party has to thwart the APC’s move to control both chambers, he was a noncommittal as to the details of what plans the party has.
According to a loyalist of the party who was in the know about the situation, “Our party is just being tactical.” The fact of the matter is that we need to get our act together in order to prevent a repeat of what took place during the most recent elections in some states. During those elections, some of our leaders, particularly governors, worked against the interests of the party. We must do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.
“Many consultations are currently taking place, and some of the alliances that were formed by some of the G-5 governors with the ruling party are still active and could potentially come into play.”
— Leo Tolstoy It’s a waste of time and effort.
On the other hand, the spokesman for the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, expressed confidence that members-elect, particularly those elected on the platform of opposition parties, would use their numerical strength to assert themselves in order to provide Nigerians with a leadership that will truly representative. He said this in response to a question from a reporter.
Ifoh said, “When speaking to its members, the APC has made its pronouncement, which is within its right.”
“Our members and members of other opposition parties, who together form the majority are not bound by the APC’s decision as such, they will vote for men and women with capacity,” he said. “Our members and members of other opposition parties”
