•Ruling party favours Christian to lead Red Chamber

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday kicked off the search for the 10th Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker.

According to a party source, consensus was proposed to avoid a rancorous contest and ensure unity and cohesion.

President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) held a preliminary meeting at the Defence House, Abuja, temporary residence of the President-elect, on the zoning of the National Assembly principal offices.

Lobbying by aspirants for positions also intensified.

After the crucial meeting, three contenders for Senate President – Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom Northwest), Senator Orji Kalu (Abia North), and Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West); and Muktar Betara (Borno), who is eyeing the House Speaker, held meetings with the President-elect.

The major highlight of the crucial party meeting witnessed by some members of the APC National Assembly Caucus and lawmakers-elect was zoning.

At the meeting were Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, Kwara State Governor AbdulRasak Abdulrahman, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari, Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu and the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Also at the meeting were Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, and Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani.

Alighting from the meeting which lasted for two hours, an NWC member said: “Asiwaju and other leaders were here to inspect the facility, but seized the opportunity to have a meeting with the leadership of the NWC and NASS as regards zoning of the leadership of 10th National Assembly.”

He said the meeting could not conclude the deliberation, adding that party leaders agreed to make more consultations and reconvened later in the night.

Adamu declined comment, merely saying that they had a fruitful deliberation.

Asked if the meeting was able to fashion out a zoning formula, the party Chairman said: “Nigerians should be patient with the party. We should wait. What is good for the country is what is good for us as a party. We are only celebrating the victory of our party now.”

Sources close to the APC leaders said they were on the same page on the choice of the next chairman and deputy chairman of the National Assembly by consensus.

He added: “Consensus is being proposed to ensure that the contest is not acrimonious. APC does not want a situation where the race will lead to crisis.”

Also, party leaders, in utter sensitivity to religious factor, were disposed to the choice of a Christian Senate President, since the President-elect and his deputy, Senatorial Kashim Shettima, are Muslims.

According to the source, APC leaders were disposed to the equitable distribution of the six principal offices in the Red and Green Chambers among the six geo-political zones to foster inclusion and a sense of belonging.

Apart from the Senate President and House Speaker, other offices are Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, House Majority Leader, Chief Whips and Deputy Chief Whips.

The source said: “The party noted the ambition of its senators and House members and contented that it is in order. The zoning of the Senate President was considered and there was the feeling that since the number one and two citizens are Muslims, the number three citizen should be a Christian.

In his view, the party also decided that there is no zone that will be left out in the distribution of the principal offices.

On which of the Southern zones should produce the Senate President, the source said: “Majority is in favour of zoning of the slot to the Southsouth.”

He pointed out that “the party noted that it has seven senators from the region, apart from securing substantial votes during the election.

However, the source also stressed that there was also a strong case for Southeast, which produced six APC senators.

He added: “It was a lengthy deliberation. Party leaders favoured the zoning of the House Speaker to the Northwest, which gave the ruling party the highest number of votes during the elections.

“There was also a consideration for the zoning of the Deputy Senate President to the Northcentral and the Deputy House Speaker to the Southeast.

The belief of the party is that no zone should be left out.” (The Nation)

•PHOTO: President-elect Tinubu with APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and some members of the party’s NWC during Wednesday’s preliminary meeting at the Defence House, Abuja

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