The zoning arrangement for 10th National Assembly presiding officers announced by the All Progressives Congress (APC) is heading for a collapse, following the decision of the president -Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the zoning arrangement to include the North-Central zone after a widespread opposition by major stakeholders.
This was revealed in a statement signed by Rep. Adam Gagdi in Abuja.
Recall that since the announcement by the APC on it’s preferred candidate for principal officers in the 10th National Assembly, the decision has suffered serious opposition led by Members-elect aspiring for the Speaker of the House known as the G7.
Members of the G7 which are made up of the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase; Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi; Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara; Hon. Sada Soli; Hon. Mariam Onuoha and Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, have vowed to work in unity against the party’s anointed candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna, North-west) and Hon. Benjamin Kalu (Abia State, South-east).
According to Rep. Gagdi, after a meeting between the G7 members and the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the weekend, the president elect is set to make another arrangement to include the North central.
He said that the group, among others, have rejected the micro zoning of the leadership positions in the House, as well as the exclusion of the North-central region which has serially shown loyalty and dedication to the APC by votes delivered to the party in state and presidential elections.
“It is now clear that the attempt by some elements within the APC to foist Hon. Abbas on the House is not progressing as planned.The entire arrangement is being reconsidered and a new zoning arrangement that will be favourable to all parties, especially the North-central, is expected to be announced soon.
“This is especially as Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari from Zamfara, the same North-west zone as Hon. Abbas, has refused to back down from the contest for Senate President. With Sen. Yari forging ahead, the possibility of the Senate and the House producing leaders who are Muslims is high and the president-elect has made it clear that he will not support the top four political positions in the country to be occupied by people of the same faith, hence his intervention in the zoning debacle to ensure that there is a balance.
Rep. Gagdi, further assured that no candidate endorsed by parties outside the green chamber will lead the 10th House of Representatives.
He stated: “Consultation is ongoing at all levels. We are making progress. We believe that the president-elect will not relent until the injustice in the APC’s zoning arrangement is addressed.
“The right for all candidates to be given fair and equal opportunity to pursue their ambitions must be upheld. I remain in the race for Speaker and there is no overemphasising that I am qualified in legislative experience, capacity, loyalty to the party and as a youth, I will bring in modern innovations to revamp and reposition the House for optimal delivery to the Nigerian people who voted us to go and speak on their behalf in the Parliament,” he added.
