Memo to APC NWC On 10th National Assembly Leadership Need To Avert Destruction -By Fouad Ahmad

Since 1999 Nigeria has produced Eight Speakers of the  House of Representatives,  North-West geo-political zone dominated the speakership seat with four persons from the zone holding the office, Sadisu  Buhari,Ghali Umar Na Abba both from Kano state. Aminu Bello Masari, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from Katsina and Sokoto staye respectively. North East produced one speaker Yakubu Dogara. South West produce three speaker Dimeji Bankole, Patricia Etteh and Femi Gbajabiamila Incumbent speaker of the house of representatives. 

Looking into consideration North West and North East held the office of the speaker for the spans of twenty years. But  National Working Committee (NWC), of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)  adopted the preferred candidates of House Of Representatives for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to North West. 

Before the adoption of the party nominated leaders about ten Aspirants from all the geo-political zones of the country had sprung up for various positions of the yet proclamation Assembly.

National publicity secretary of APC, Barrister Felix Morka, revealed the party position on the zoning formular. The party  settled for a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio (South-South) and Barau Jibrin from Kano (North West) as president and deputy Senate president. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen from Kaduna (North West) and Hon. Ben Kalu from Abia State (South East) as Speaker and deputy of the House of Representatives respectively.  

Since the announcement made by the party NWC the decision  has raise resentments among those that vying the speakership seat and the aggrieved APC aspirents under  Coalition of Progressive Speakership Aspirants (COPSA) stormed   party  headquarters to lodged their complaint before national champion. 

in the meeting with the APC leadership, deputy speaker said  they protest should not be disregards. COPSA insisted that the zoning arrangement must be revisited in the overall interest of the party, explained that the zoning of the office of the speaker to the North-West was done  without due consultation and it’s  against the spirit of fairness and equity.  

Even before DS led aggreeve   aspirants to party headquarters North-Central caucus Senators-elect   rejected the arrangement, saying it is an open denial of their rights and privileges. 

 Political watchers and other stakeholders anticipated this  political  scheming since the party preferable seem fevour North West despite North Central geopolitical has never produced speaker except Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives currently hold by Hon Wase.  

 It would be recalls when Former President Jonathan lost control of his administration on  the day which Aminu Tambuwal  Saraki and Dogara outsmarted APC leadership  and outgoing President  Buhari remain helplessness   as the dou  emerged senate president and speaker with support of PDP’s members  in eight national assembly. 

 if party not do   the right thing there will be a prospect for those denying to contest for the seat to work with opposition parties members against the wishes of their party decision like what happened in 2011 and  2015.

Despite the ruling governing party had the majority in both green and red chambers in 2015 compare with yet to be  Inaugurations  National Assembly. Nevertheless people wait to see what will unfold on the day the  president will proclamation National Assembly.

Let the ruling governing party and the incoming President do the needful by preventing revolt against the candidates of the ruling party because having the divided party members can contribute the administration  fail to achieve it’s  much needed progress as it’s happens to the outgoing administration. There is need the arrangement  be revisited in the overall interest of the party.

The  propose zoning  by the APC short-charge North Central geopolitical zone is the only zone with no representation. The deputy speaker insisted zoning   office of the speaker to the North-West without due consultation is against the spirit of fairness and equity.

Emphasis on the needs for  the ruling party to follow the Nigerian constitution in ensuring that the North-central is not excluded from the distribution of offices. North Central deserved the position of the speaker because current deputy speaker of the House  is the most ranking member whose won election on the platform of Action Congress (AC) in the dominant PDP controlling state of Plateau.  

Despitefully, the ruling governing party loses its strength in the  North West  swing States of Kano, Kaduna and Katsina during the presidential and National Assembly election. The North-central  has not produced the Speaker in the last 24 years after the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999. Nigeria is built on the supremacy of the law and the sacredness of the constitution for justice to reign and to keep the peace in the country and also prevent doom in the upcoming 10th national assembly Without any sentiment North Central region should be fairly  compensation with speakership office in light of the consistent delivery of votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The zone is critical to the electoral success of the party and could not afford to be ignored.

Fou’ad  write in from  Kano can be at 08075704500