10th NASS: 18 North-Central Senators-elect kick against APC zoning

The dust raised by the zoning template of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for principal offices of the 10 National Assembly is yet to settle as 18 Senators- elect from the North-Central zone have kicked against it, insisting that it will not stand the test of time.

The Senators-elect from different political parties, who rejected the zoning arrangements, made their stand known in a letter of protest to the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led APC NWC on Tuesday, calling on the party to, as a matter of urgency, jettison the arrangements they described as unacceptable.

They also contended that only the North-Central geopolitical zone did not produce any presiding officer.

The letter by the lawmakers-elect entitled: “Resolution of the North Central Caucus of the 10th Senate on NASS Leadership Zoning”, was signed by 18 Senators-elect.

The letter reads in part: “We the North-Central Senators-elect Caucus met on Monday, May 8, 2023, and resolved as follows:

“That the North-Central as a geopolitical zone in Nigeria has paid its dues in the political stability of the country and shall continue to do so, but where we see the open denial of our rights and privileges, we will have no option than to voice out in the interest of the zone and its people we represent.

“It is pertinent to know that we are fully committed to supporting the incoming administration of the President-elect, Asiwaju Tinubu for a better Nigeria.

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“This can only happen if fairness, equity and justice are ensured. It is on record that the North-Central gave the APC 41 per cent of her votes to victory, hence we equally deserve it as others.

“Our caucus reviewed the proposed zoning structure released, and we are not pleased and comfortable with the allocation of the positions of the Deputy Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly to a particular geopolitical zone of the country (North-West), we hereby reject it.

“The convention has always been that the six geopolitical zones of the country will have one each of the six positions.

“Now that the South-West and North-East have produced the President-elect and Vice President-elect respectively, it is only fair and natural that the positions of the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives should be shared among the other four geopolitical zones, that is the North-Central, South-South, South-East and North-West.

“Sequel to the above, we as a caucus are calling on the APC to immediately retract its earlier decision which schemes us out of the power-sharing formula of the country and cede the position of the Deputy Senate President to the North-Central Zone so as to ensure fairness, equity and justice for a smooth 10th Senate.”

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