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A group, All Progressives Congress (APC) Coalition of Support Groups, has petitioned the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to consider zoning the post of Senate President to the South East zone. 

The coalition also urged the NWC to place emphasis on character profile, experience, capacity and competence as yardstick for whoever is to superintend over any arm of government, especially the senate of the 10th Assembly.

They also made a case for commitment to party, loyalty, capacity for performance, and track record of service in party administration for such a canddiate.

The coalition in a statement, yesterday, by Sally William-Chinepu claimed that having been overheated by non-inclusivity in principal elective appointments, the NWC can redress this by taking proper and judicious decision on the South East quest for the Senate presidency.

Said the coalition: “For a smooth democratic process,  there is a need for the protection of nascent democracy which is hinged on the principle of Federal Character as provided in the constitution of Nigeria that recognises and promotes inclusivity of all groups in the country into public offices. By compliance of this provision, the peaceful co-existence and national security is guaranteed which is the bedrock of progress and development of our nation. Without being subservient to primordial argument of state, tribal, religious, regional considerations, emphasis should be placed on character profile, experience, capacity and competence on who should superintend over any arm of government especially the senate of the 10th Assembly.

“For the 10th Assembly, the aforementioned should be the yard stick in determining who becomes the senate president. As members of the NWC, paramount amongst your reasons for preference on who become the senate president, should be commitment to party loyalty to party, capacity for performance and track record of service in party administration.

“While not objecting to the emotional argument of geopolitical consideration, it behooves on the NWC to lean on the balance of justice and equity, and insecurity challenges to concede the senate president position to the South East geo-political zone, where undoubtedly character and competence is remarkably in abundance.

“Only recently, the South East political zone has been overheated by non-inclusivity in principal elective appointments which the NWC can redress by taking proper and judicious decision on the South East Senate Presidency.

“Going forward, while not overstretching our bounds of advice, we are compelled to further micro zone the office of the Senate President to a square peg to a square hole,” the coalition said.

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 the 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.”