The Tinubu-Shettima Ambassadors (TSA), in conjunction with the National Forum for All Progressive Congress (APC) Ward Chairmen in Niger State, have insisted on the inclusion of the Northcentral in the party’s zoning of the leadership position of the 10th National Assembly.
OsunDaily News reports that while some stakeholders from the region have expressed satisfaction that the appointment of the former Governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume, as the Secretary General of the Federation (SGF) has addressed the grievances of the region, others have insisted the Northcentral must be accommodated in the party’s zoning arrangement.
The leadership of the APC had in May endorsed Godswill Akpabio (South-South) and Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North) as preferred candidates for Senate president and deputy, respectively.
While the Speaker of the House of Representatives was proposed to be Abbass Tajudeen from the North-West, Benjamin Kalu from the South-East was preferred for the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Insisting that the APC National Working Committee must consider the northcentral, the Director General of TSA, Prince Oyelude Oladele, has said the North West couldn’t take two principal offices of the 10th National Assembly while other geopolitical zones were schemed out.
Oladele in a statement on Sunday noted that APC NWC had zoned the offices of the deputy Senate President and Speaker of the incoming 10th National Assembly to the North West.
He said, “We are fully aware that the North West has been given two presiding officer positions in both chambers of the National Assembly (NASS), the speaker and deputy senate president by the APC National Assembly zoning arrangement, while the North Central was sidelined.
“As the president and vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come from the South West and North East, we appeal to the NWC of the APC to share the four presiding officer positions of the National Assembly to the South-South, North West, North Central and South East.”
