Juliet Akoje in Abuja
A frontline aspirant for the position of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, yesterday said the APC zoning arrangement would crumble with the widespread rejection it has so far suffered.
According to a statement by Gagdi, “The zoning arrangement for 10th National Assembly presiding officers announced by the All Progressives Congress (APC) is heading for a collapse, following widespread opposition to the plan by major stakeholders.
“The group, among others, have rejected the micro-zoning of the leadership positions in the House, as well as the exclusion of the North-central region which has serially shown loyalty and dedication to the APC by votes delivered to the party in state and presidential elections.
“Based on new developments which followed the meeting of G-7 members and the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the weekend, it is now clear that the attempt by some elements within the APC to foist Hon. Abbas on the House is not progressing as planned.
“The entire arrangement is being reconsidered and a new zoning arrangement that will be favourable to all parties, especially the North central, is expected to be announced soon. This is as Senator Abdul’aziz Yari from Zamfara, the same North west zone as Hon. Abbas, has refused to back down from the contest for Senate President.
“With Senator Yari forging ahead, the possibility of the Senate and the House producing leaders, who are Muslims is high and the president elect has made it clear that he will not support the top four political positions in the country to be occupied by people of the same faith, hence his intervention in the zoning debacle to ensure that there is a balance.”
