APC North Central Forum Endorses Akpabio, Abbas, Lalong As SGF

All Progressives Congress (APC) North Central Forum (NCF) has endorsed the APC National Working Committee (NWC) recent zoning of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly to the South-south and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to North West.

The forum made its position known in Jos, the Plateau State capital after an emergency meeting on the crisis rocking the party over the zoning arrangement.

The chairman of the forum, Alhaji Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, said there was nothing wrong with the zoning of Senate President to South-South and Speaker, House of Representatives to North West.

He also said the party’s choice of the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the next Senate President and Hon Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State as the Speaker of the House of Representatives is also in order.

Zazzaga said all those aggrieved should sheathe their swords and support the decision of the party under which platform they also won elections and enjoyed support, adding that there are other appointive positions that are coming and varied regions would be captured.

He reiterated their call for the appointment of Governor Simon Lalong (North Central) as the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), saying that Lalong deserves the position not only as a performing governor of Plateau State, chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum or the Director General of Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, but because he is an achiever and a goal getter.

He said, “ The party said it zoned the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly to the South-south and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to North-West. The party equally agreed on a consensus for the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the next Senate President and Hon Tajudeen Abass from Kaduna State as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We do not see how that should be causing any crises among the legislators from our party. All elective members of our party enjoyed the support of the party in one way or the order, and now to begin kicking against the party zoning arrangement of the National Assembly is not fair.

“But we the North Central APC Forum have thrown our weight behind the party’s zoning arrangement and we also stand by the consensus of the Senate President and the Speaker. We all know the antecedents of Senator Godswill Akoabio as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and even as a senator, as well as Hon. Tajudeen Abass from Kaduna State.

“And on the appointment of the secretary to government of the federation (SGF), we are affirming our support for Governor Simon Lalong. He has contributed to the development of our great party over the years and the emergence of our President-elect, Bola Tinubu and his able Vice, Kashim Shettima. Lalong is an achiever, a goal getter and a peace maker,” he said.