NASS Leadership: No Decision On Zoning Yet – Senate

The chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Ajibola Basiru, has described as untrue, insinuations that both the National Working Committee and National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have zoned the leadership positions for the 10th National Assembly.

Basiru, who is representing Osun Central in the Senate, said the zoning arrangements would be perfected after the ongoing Ramadan fast.

He spoke on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday.

Some members-elect in the Senate had already expressed interest in the presiding officers’ positions.

They include, Senator Sani Musa (North Central), Orji Kalu (South East), Jibrin Barau (North West), Godswill Akpabio (South South), Dave Umahi (South East), Ahmad Lawan (North East), Ali Ndume (North East),  Abdulaziz Yari (North West), and Osita Izunaso (South East), among others.

At least nine federal lawmakers had also joined the race for the position of the Speaker, House of Representatives.

They are  Aliyu Betara (North East); Aminu Sani Jaji (North West); Idris Wase (North Central);  Benjamin Kalu (South East); Ado Doguwa (North West); Yusuf Gagdi (North Central); Princess Mariam Onuoha (South East); Makki Abubakar Yalleman (North West);  and Abdulraheem Olawuyi (North Central).

Bashiru said any of the Senators-elect are competent to be presiding officers over the National Assembly.

He clarified that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had not taken any decision on a particular geopolitical zone that would produce the next Senate President.

He said, “I am not aware that the NWC of our party has taken a position on the issue of zoning and where the zoning will be done.

“I am not aware that the NEC of our party has taken any decision but party leaders will be making a lot of permutations to ensure a seamless relationship between the executive and the legislative arms.”

Bashiru added that the president-elect would act like a statesman on the matter taking into consideration the diversity and heterogeneity of the Nigerian society.

He said, “The leadership of the party as well as the members of the 10th Assembly will have to look at so many variables.

“For instance, arguments may be canvassed like the religious argument that the President is a Muslim, the Vice-President is a Muslim, will it not be reasonable to have a Christian as the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“You cannot wish away such an argument particularly when you see the divisive nature that politics has taken in recent times in Nigeria.”

Bashiru, nevertheless noted that the APC has not been unfair to the South-East geopolitical zone.

The Senate spokesperson said the APC leadership would take a decision on zoning the leadership of the 10th National Assembly at the end of the Ramadan fast.

He said, “I believe that our party will ultimately take a decision on the zoning possibly after Ramadan and certainly before June when the next Assembly will be convoked.” 

According to him, some of the parameters to be considered for the emergence of the next Senate President and the next Speaker of the House of Representatives include ranking, competence, capacity, and religion.

He also said the zonal contribution to the victory of Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election among others, would also be a major consideration.

Basiru said, “It will be in the best interest of our party to zone the offices so that we can narrow the number of contestants because when you have eight persons from a single political party contesting, it creates a problem for us to have a cohesive force going into the election.”

The APC won a majority of the legislative seats during the elections with over 55 Senate seats out of 109 and over 160 out of 360 House of Representatives seats.