As the race for leadership of the 10th National Assembly gathers momentum, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) might zone the Senate presidency to the South East. A source told The Guardian the move is to appease the zone.

Those eyeing the seat include, Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, Osita Izunaso, Jibrin Barau, Sani Musa, Godswill Akpabio and Ali Ndume. Also speculated to be in the list against the ranking standing rule are former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari (APC, Zamfara West), outgoing governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South) and erstwhile governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North).

It’s unclear which of the lawmakers from the zone would get the nod of President-elect Bola Tinubu and the party in the events leading to the June inauguration of the next Assembly.

Already, there are speculations that Akpabio is already exploring the prospect of settling for a ministerial appointment. He is believed to be angling for either the Petroleum or Niger Delta ministerial seats in place of the coveted Senate presidency.

The source said: “To avoid losing out, Akpabio has since begun reaching out to Bola Tinubu personally and through his allies to return to any of the plum ministries, which appears to be more favourable to the former two- term governor, when compared to the Senate president position.

“His chances are very dim and he knows this. Our party and the President-elect are committed to forming a government of national unity, and quell restiveness in geo-political zones in the country, beginning with the Southeast by giving them the opportunity to produce the next Senate President.”

This comes, as the governing party is said to be considering between the North West and Central for office of the House of Representatives Speaker.

Among them are sitting Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, Makki Yalleman, Adamu Yusuf Gagdi, Benjamin Kalu, Peter Akpatason, Muktar Aliyu Betara, Sada Soli Jibia, Tunji Olawuyi, Abbas Tajuddeen and Aminu Sani Jaji.

The speculation is coming against the backdrop of the meeting by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and some of the aspirants where the issue as to whether he has a preferred candidate was said to have been discussed.

A close source said: “The Speaker did not call us to ask anybody to step down, as it’s being said. One, there are insinuations and accusation that he is supporting one candidate.

“He called that meeting first to know how we are campaigning as individuals and whether we have problems among us the aspirants, which we said no. We don’t have any problem.

“Then, some of the aspirants raised an issue that Speaker’s boys are using his name for an aspirant, and that the Speaker asked them to campaign for him. And it has begun to create apprehension and tension.

“So, some people raised that observation for Speaker to call the attention of one of his staff that is parading himself that he’s under the instruction of Mr. Speaker to support one candidate. That was sorted out.

“Secondly, Speaker emphasised to us that he is a partyman and being the Speaker, he has never done anti-party. So, he assured us that any day, any time the party zones, he will be supporting the zone that the party zoned to. This is the only thing that happened. So, anybody that tells you anything outside that, is not true.” (The Guardian)

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