“The elections have come and gone and we observed that those who sold the party to the opposition, especially in the South East where it’s now rumoured that the next Speaker may emerge from, are the same people whose voices have been so loud in the race to take over the leadership in House. It is a given fact that the departing speaker, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, has manifestly raised the bar of leadership of the House with his experience and command performance in the last eight years. It’s therefore expected that the tempo should be sustained to make this institution an admiration for other developing democracies.”
Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, indications emerged on Thursday that a section of the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, are proposing that the Senate presidency be micro-zoned to the South-South, a template that would effectively ease out the South-East from the leadership equation.
This was as youths from the South-West and northern parts of the country have advised the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, against supporting aspirants who failed to deliver votes for him.
The youths, who for the purpose of fostering national unity and integration, canvassed that the position be zoned to the Southeast, however asked one of the aspirants, Benjamin Kalu to drop his ambition for not delivering how zone.
Although, a stakeholders meeting was billed to continue on Thursday night as discussions were still ongoing and no concrete decision had been taken, it was gathered that those pushing for the template are insisting that due consideration must be paid to the electoral outcomes in the areas of all the contestants to determine those who worked for the success of the party and those who worked for themselves only.
Consequently, those pushing for this arrangement want both the Deputy Senate Presidency and House of Representatives Speakership zoned to the Northwest, despite fierce protests from other leaders who insist that the Northeast be given the Speakership slot.
Also, according to those pushing this zoning template, the Deputy Speaker slot is being proposed to be given to the Southwest while the North Central would be given the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF.
A source privy to the rash of meetings held so far said discussions were still ongoing.
Asked why the South East was excluded from the template being pushed by some forces, he queried; “Did they vote for us”?
He however said the APC governors and some members of the party leadership have continued to insist that the South East must not be excluded from the equation.
Youths caution Tinubu
Convener, Coalition of SouthWest Professionals, Olawale Dawodu; Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Patriotic Front, Comrade Ali Abacha Chairman and National President, Coalition of Arewa Youth Groups for Progress and Development, Barr. Abdulmalik Alfa Attahiru, gave the charge at a news conference Thursday in Abuja.
Reading the text of a prepared address, the President Arewa Youths, Ambassador Tijani Abdulmumuni said the groups have observed that the contest for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, has become, for some a theatre to display their naivety.
He said! “As experienced political players and stakeholders, we are all aware that the National Assembly is the ‘engine room’ of the success of any government, not that alone, we must be reminded that the growth of our democracy owes much to the quality of leadership we produce in our parliament, especially at National Assembly.
“A party that fails to get the leadership of the National Assembly right, may not witness major development. The 8th Assembly is a classical example, where President Muhammadu Buhari-led government could not do much because of the emergence of rebellious group within the APC who worked in cross purpose against the policies of the ruling party throughout their stint. This alone cost the government and indeed the country a huge setback.
“The elections have come and gone and we observed that those who sold the party to the opposition, especially in the South East where it’s now rumoured that the next Speaker may emerge from, are the same people whose voices have been so loud in the race to take over the leadership in House. It is a given fact that the departing speaker, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, has manifestly raised the bar of leadership of the House with his experience and command performance in the last eight years. It’s therefore expected that the tempo should be sustained to make this institution an admiration for other developing democracies.
“Therefore, among the criteria that should guide the House members in the choice they make is their scorecard; their contributions to the success of the party during the last election and public perception of those who have shown interest to lead. This is very critical, especially in a time like this in the history of the country when the incoming government will be confronted with so much challenges to fulfill its campaign promises and would therefore require not just men of impeccable character but also the best heads to salvage the country from the storm ahead.
“The position of a Speaker of the House of Representatives is not for experiment and must not and should not be slaughtered on the altar of ethnic sentiments to pave way for mediocres who have barely served out their first term in the house.
“We have watched with keen interest the number of actors contesting the position of the Speaker, especially in the South- East where many believe is likely going to be zoned to, the likes of Benjamin Kalu, the current spokesman of the House who bandies his aspiration with objectionable sense of entitlement and a host of others in the region who have also indicated interest and we are by this compelled to call on the ruling party to look beyond ethnic or religious colouration to go for the best in the best interest of the country.
“We have also watched with consternation, the brazen manner with which saboteurs, who traded the interest of the APC and its presidential candidate with some treacherous groups who are against the sanctity of the Nigerian State trying to take over leadership of the incoming Assembly.
“Who will possibly emerge speaker from the South East region is as much an issue of interest to the country and the APC as it is to the South-east.
“In pursuance of balancing act and preservation of Nigeria’s sanctity, we believe the leadership of the National Assembly should be zoned to the South- East, however, in doing so, equity, justice and fairness should be applied. It will amount to violation of divine injunction, if people are allowed to reap from where they did not sow.
“The Holy Bible and Qur’an enjoins that, if a man does not work, he should not eat or a man should not reap where he did not sow. Hon Benjamin Kalu did not sow in APC but rather wants to leverage on primordial sentiments to pass through the backdoor to the leadership of National Assembly.
“Besides, he should tell Nigerians his role in the presidential election that took place in the South -east to warrant his party’s leadership to entrust such sensitive position to him”, the groups demanded.