•Aspirants threaten 2015 scenario may come into play
•We’re betrayed, zoning formula won’t stand, Wase insists
•Attempt to foist leadership will be resisted, northern group warns
•We’re making effort to pacify aggrieved contestants, Abass hints
•I’m in race for senate presidency to win, Izunaso declares
Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade, Udora Orizu, Juliet Akoje in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure
There is no end in sight to the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, as some key stakeholders have been simmering with resentment since the party announced its nominations for principal positions in the federal legislature three days ago.
Chairman, South West Governors’ Forum and Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday, rejected the proposed zoning formula, saying it is brazenly skewed, unjust, and targeted against some zones and individuals.
Some aspirants to the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives and several members-elect also warned the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and other party stakeholders to prepare for a repeat of the 2015 scenario should the party allow the released zoning formula to stand. Senators and House of Representatives members had in 2015 defied the ruling party’s choices and elected their own independent candidates for principal positions in the two chambers of the National Assembly.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Idris Wase, said the APC leadership betrayed the lawmakers by deciding on the nominations without proper consultation with members. Wase insisted the zoning would not stand.
Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), equally, cautioned against any attempt to foist a leadership on the National Assembly, saying it would be roundly resisted.
But the APC consensus candidate for House Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said efforts were being made to pacify co-aspirants, who were aggrieved by the decision of the party.
Nonetheless, one of the aspirants to the 10th Senate presidency, Senator Osita Izunaso, insisted his aspiration was in the best interest of the country, and he was in the race to win.
The APC leadership had on Monday officially confirmed the endorsement of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godwill Akpabio, (from Akwa Ibom State in South-south) for Senate President, and Tajudeen Abbas (from Kaduna State in North-west) for Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Announcing the zoning formula, after an NWC meeting in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, also confirmed the endorsement of Senator Barau Jubrin (North-west) as Deputy Senate President, and Ben Kalu (South-east) as Deputy Speaker of the House.
However, not satisfied with the proposed zoning, Akeredolu, in a statement he personally signed, described the zoning plan as a skewed and unworkable arrangement that reinforced injustice and enhanced inequity.
The statement, titled, “Proposed APC Zoning Formula for NASS Leadership Positions is a Skewed Arrangement that Reinforces Injustice And Enhances Inequity,” read, “It is with great concern, and, indeed, with a huge burden that I read in the news of the purported zoning arrangement released by the National Working Committee of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as regards the leadership positions in the yet-to-be inaugurated National Assembly.
“Aside the unpretentious ambiguity in the purported press statement issued by the leadership of the APC, the contents, intentions and motives of the zoning formula represent early signs of steps aimed at attempts to cabin the hard-earned presidency for our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by a few individuals with eyes on ASO ROCK POWER BUTTONS.
“It is trite to aver that it stands logic on the head that one geo-political zone, North-west, in this regard, will be favoured with two presiding officers positions out of four while North-central suffers the consequences for its innocence and shrewd loyalty by having none.
“It is an insidious permutation that North-east will be deprived in the face of the unsavoury generosity dispensed through two slots to a particular geo-political zone. It is self-repudiating for one to argue, therefore, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot also emerge from the North-east.”
Akeredolu alleged that the move to zone the National Assembly leadership positions on the behest of interested personalities with perceived closeness to the president-elect manifestly laid a dangerous foundation of distrust, needless suspicion, and structures nothing but a combination of booby traps, which the party must avoid.
The governor stated, “Let the North play a stronger, more robust and all-inclusive role in the emergence of the positions zoned to the region, especially the speakership. Furthermore, it strikes a huge ingratitude that the role of the Progressive Governors Forum appears unimportant.
“As leaders of the party in their respective states, there cannot be a greater disservice to them that a consensus was yet to be reached when the NWC hurriedly released a dangerous tool for the opposition in the guise of a zoning formula. To me, even on this note, it’s unacceptable.
“Does it not also exude a serious discomfort that the aspirants to the speakership were not consulted, approached and effectively engaged before the purported zoning formula? It does, and clearly so.
“It is in this regard that I salute the courage of the speakership aspirants for their show of solidarity, companionship and applaudable love for the party in their rejection, resentment and objection to the brazenly teleguided zoning arrangement that is skewed and targeted against some zones and identified individuals.
“Their action is commendable just as they are urged to ensure they pursue this to a logical conclusion. This is an unworkable arrangement that reinforces injustice and enhances inequity, and I join them in rejecting this zoning formula.”
Akeredolu called on the NWC of the party to follow the path of purity and justice. He charged Tinubu to interrogate the skewed arrangement and give direction that would reflect the party’s collective commitment to equality and fairness.
He stated, “In this particular case, and for the purpose of avoiding a repeat of untoward situations, it is advised that the APC NWC immediately summons the National Executive Committee (NEC) after robust National Caucus/Stakeholders parley to agree on terms that would strengthen our great party.”
Aspirants Threaten 2015 Scenario May Come into Play
Some of the aspirants to the House of Representatives speakership as well as members-elect warned the APC NWC and other party stakeholders to prepare for a repeat of the 2015 scenario if the party allowed the released zoning formula to stand.
Senator Bukola Saraki had emerged President of the Senate in 2015, while Hon. Yakubu Dogara, emerged House Speaker against the choices of the ruling party, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, respectively, in a move considered a slight on the party, and which unsettled its leadership for a long time.
At the moment, contestants for House of Representatives Speaker and members-elect, led by Wase, are Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Hon. Muktar Betara, Hon. Ahmed Jaha, Hon. Femi Bamishile, Hon. Abubakar Nakraba, Hon. Mariam Onuaha, Hon. Sani Jaji, Hon. Sada Soli, and Hon. Mariam Onuoha. They held a meeting with the national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and other NWC members on Wednesday in Abuja
Wase insisted at a meeting that there should have been serious consultations before arriving at a decision. He reminded the party that it did not have the majority in the House, hence, the need to have everyone to agree with such a zoning template.
Wase recalled that the leadership of the party summoned lawmakers-elect to a meeting after the presidential election, where the aspirants were encouraged to slow down their campaigns till after the governorship election. He said while they awaited another meeting with the leaders of the party on the zoning arrangement for the leadership positions, it never come to fruition.
Wase also told the APC national chairman, “What was on social media, again, was the zoning and the micro-zoning to particular individuals. As I speak to you, sir, I want to say categorically that none of us here was approached or consulted even for a second to find our opinion and thought on what was going to be done or what has happened.”
Describing the decision of the party not to consult as unfortunate, Wase said that was the crux of matter.
He said, “We feel betrayed by that action. We feel as if our contributions are not recognised, we feel as if we are not members of this family. We feel that we have given our best but now the best is no longer needed.”
Wase said he had told Gbajabiamila that he misled the president-elect on the choice of the speaker. He explained that Tinubu was not behind the choice of Abass.
Wase stated further, “We are here to protest and to appeal to you to go again to look into this matter. That what had been ushered out will not stand. And we are disciplined party people. I want to say, too, in 2019, Your Excellency, I was going in for speakership.
“I was pretty sure I was going to win. Leaders of the party called me, including the president, and appealed to me to step down for Hon. Femi. I did that and that was how I came in to take the position of the deputy speaker. I want to say that what has happened, I think that they are taking us for granted.
“We do not want a repeat of what has happened in the past. We should not forget about the “Tambuwalisation” of what happened in the House of Representatives. We should not forget about the emergence, how Saraki became the senate president. The party as of today, we do not have the majority to be that arrogant, and we should take people for granted.”
A member of the House from Borno State, Muktar Betara, said at the meeting that there was no time two presiding positions were zoned to the same zone.
Betara, who had been endorsed for Speaker by a coalition of former members of the House of Representatives, stated, “We are not against our leaders, but if we should sit down and say sit among yourselves and pick somebody you think you can work with, it is easy.
“But the person, the speaker (Gbajabiamila) is trying to even pick, there are some of our colleagues that don’t know him. That’s the truth, I am not lying. If today the party says we zone to the North-west, I have to sit and think because now the party is zoning the deputy senate president and the speaker to the same zone.
“We have been in this Assembly, there is no time two presiding officers are zoned to one area. It has never happened. And in our discussion here, on our inauguration day, it’s what happens in the Senate that will determine what is going to happen in the House.
“So, we need to sit down and look at it. We might produce the senate president from a different zone. It happened in 2015. So, as a party, we are pleading, we need to sit again with all of us and do more consultations.”
Betara, who denied allegations of anti-party activities, said, “Another thing I need to clear here, sir, somebody told me that the same group is saying I gave money to a presidential aspirant. So, if there is any transfer to anybody, the banks are there.
“I want to still tell you as leaders, if I should give money to a presidential aspirant and he wins, what is he going to give me. My own, I want to become speaker in my party. If another party wins, can I become speaker? No. So, we don’t need to blackmail ourselves. Politics is about give and take.”
Responding, Adamu assured the lawmakers that the party would embark on further consultations and get back to them. He stressed that the statement issued by the party clearly stated that the party leadership would endeavour to do more consultations so that everyone would be carried along.
The APC national chairman said, “There is nothing we do that may not be challenged here and there. But let us be able to attain the best possible consultation with people, giving them their right of fair hearing, before we can say, yes, we are changing positions or we are not changing positions.
“I plead with you in good conscience to give us a little time to take a good and better look at your presentation and open our ears and our eyes the more to hear more and see more before we can come with finality of your submission and the outcome of it. I thank you for your approach.”
Adanu said, equally “important, you should know this is a party, you organise and you are here and you didn’t follow the backdoor to talk to us; you have come straight to us. I, on behalf of my colleagues, we appreciate you. I want to assure you that God in his infinite mercy will guide us to ensure that we do what is acceptable to all.
“We will re-invite you in due course after the National Assembly election, we would invite all senators and House of Reps-elect. And by the time of that meeting with you at Banquet Hall, a number of you had started canvassing for these positions you are interested in and I remember vividly, I did advise that the meeting was not to talk about zoning.
“This a controversial subject matter. Every National Assembly regime has always been a controversy. For those who have been following the history, it is a matter for us to sit and take a look at what is going on and to be honest to ourselves, honest with the country and to our party and we hope to get to the promise land.”
Attempt to Foist Leadership Will Be Resisted, Group Warns
Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) warned that any attempt to foist a National Assembly leadership on the country would be completely resisted.
Spokesperson of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, while addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, called on the leadership of APC to reclaim its statesmanship by immediately reversing the decision on Akpabio and Abbass. Suleiman said the leadership of the ruling party should set the stage for the emergence of a credible National Assembly leadership through democratic elections by its members as enshrined in the constitution.
It described as ridiculous, contradictory and shameful for the APC, which stoutly resisted the temptation to limit the contest for the presidential ticket to zoning and opted for democratic primaries, to now confine the democratic space for the selection of the senate leadership.
The group added that it was unreasonable and irresponsible for the party to suggest that a set of eminent personalities carefully elected by their respective constituencies as senators and representatives in the federal legislature could not democratically elect leaders for themselves.
It called on Tinubu to watch his back and guard against “entrenched Judases” whom it said were bent on pitting him against democracy, against popular national will and against such regions as the North, which made massive sacrifices to keep the nation united and push it past a critical turning point by working to ensure his victory at the February presidential poll.
Abass: We’re Making Efforts to Pacify Aggrieved Aspirants
The consensus candidate of the ruling APC for House of Representatives Speaker in the 10th National Assembly, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said efforts were being made to pacify co-aspirants, who were aggrieved by the party’s zoning arrangement.
Abass, speaking at a meeting of a group of members-elect, called “Joint Task 10th Assembly”, Abbas said he was elated that APC chose him to be the next speaker of the House based on competence.
In attendance were Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and Hon. Ben Kalu (Abia), who was nominated for Deputy Speaker. There were among other ranking lawmakers, like Hon. James Faleke, Hon. Wale Raji, Hon. Bello Kumo, Hon. Princess Boma, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, Hon. Julius ihonvbere, Hon. Tunji Olawuyi, Hon. Jubrin Abdulmumin, and Hon. Leke Abejide.
Abass disclosed that efforts were being made to pacify the aggrieved aspirants. He said, together with Kalu, they would be unveiling a 16-point agenda containing all the plans and programmes they have for the institution of the House.
Abass stated, “I feel elated, I feel inspired, because I believe that if the party is going to use competence as its yardstick, I’m the right person to actually be picked. So, for the fact that they did what I expected them to do, I feel very elated; I feel very satisfied. We are in the process (of reconciling with aggrieved aspirants).
“We have reached out to so many (of them), and we will continue reaching out to all of them. Before the end of next week, I assure you, all the candidates and all the contestant, we will beg them. We will ask them to come on board so that we can work for the good of the institution.
“Please, I will ask you to wait a little. By next week, we are going to do our official declaration. So, we will come out with our 16-point agenda. With that agenda, you will see all the areas we are going to work on in the 10th Assembly. I welcome you. I invite you to the declaration, which will take place next week. We will give you the date. Then, you will know what we have for members, what we have for this country.”
Kalu said he felt good that APC considered him to go for Deputy Speaker, adding that the nomination would change the dynamics of politics in South-east come 2027.
Kalu stated, “The South-east is going to feel the power of cohesion and national loyalty. It is going to be driven by virtue of this that has taken place. It was a wise decision to include the South-easterners in the structure of the government that is being formed.
“It will change the dynamics come 2027, because an energetic young man, who believes in the party, in the supremacy of the party and loyalty to the party, has been called up to stand on the platform to energise the zone for progress, unity and prosperity of the nation.”
Chairman of the Joint task group, Hon. Bello Kumo, said, “We were not aligned with any aspirant. But we were unable to meet members-elect in general. We have been meeting members-elect either at the point of friendship, at the point of zones, at the point of states.
“But we felt that today’s meeting, we should bring all members-elect to the general meeting to highlight the basis for this organisation or group, or whatever tendencies (nomenclature) you are free to give us. To partner you and let you know that what we are doing is just simple, to partner you and ensure that we have a stable 10th Assembly like other previous leaders and assemblies enjoyed.”
Meanwhile, Abass and Kalu, Tuesday, met and got the blessings of Tinubu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Izunaso: I’m in Senate President Race to Win
One of the aspirants for the 10th Senate presidency, Senator Osita Izunaso, said his aspiration to lead the Senate was in the best interest of Nigeria, and he was in the race to win.
Izunaso urged the leaders of APC to douse the tension generated by the controversial zoning formula already fouling the political atmosphere of the country.
Izunaso, according to a statement signed by Kehinde Olaosebikan, of his media office, said APC should come up with a zoning arrangement that would guarantee unity and national cohesion.
He said Tinubu, Muhammadu Buhari and APC under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, should come up with a new zoning arrangement.
The ranking senator said the arrangements should not only produce the best among the senators and House of Representatives members-elect as presiding officers, but also be seen by Nigerians and the world at large as meeting the best practices in legislative leadership and satisfying the political exigencies of the present Nigeria
He said the expectations of Nigerians and the entire world were high on the incoming administration and no efforts should be spared by the present political leaders of the country in meeting the yearnings of the people.
The senator-elect from Imo West Senatorial District said he agreed with the position of the National Working Committee on the need for “further and better consultations” by all the necessary stakeholders of the party in reaching a workable zoning formula for the principal offices of the National Assembly.
