The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing internal turmoil as some lawmakers oppose the party's plans to impose leadership on the 10th National Assembly. The controversy stems from the party's National Working Committee (NWC) introducing a zoning formula that has created divisions within the party. The NWC's decision to zone the Senate Presidency and Deputy Senate Presidency to the South-South and North-West regions, respectively, has caused dissatisfaction among party members.
Several lawmakers aspiring for the speakership position expressed their disappointment to the APC's National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, accusing him of betraying them. They claim that Adamu had previously asked them to slow down their campaigns and allow for consultations, only to go against their interests. In response, the APC has appealed for more time to address the grievances of the aggrieved aspirants and factions within the party.
The zoning template proposed by the NWC has also faced criticism from Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who argued that it reinforces injustice and inequity by excluding the North-Central zone. Akeredolu called for a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to address the issue.
Meanwhile, some Senators-elect and Reps-elect are pushing for an open contest to determine the leaders of the legislative arm of government. As part of this movement, a group of seven speakership aspirants, known as G-7, has approached opposition lawmakers-elect with offers of the deputy speakership position and leadership positions in influential committees. This development has unsettled the APC leadership and further deepened divisions within the party.
In a meeting with the NWC, Deputy Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Idris Wase, and other contestants expressed their dissatisfaction, accusing the party leadership of betrayal. They claimed that despite initially being asked to slow down their campaigns, they were not consulted or informed about the zoning decisions made by the party. Wase emphasized that the Speaker alone cannot decide the speaker and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and called for a reconsideration of the party's stance.
In response to the discontent among party members, the APC's National Chairman, Senator Adamu, stated that the party needed more time for consultations before making any changes. He assured the aggrieved aspirants that their submissions would be considered, but the party would proceed with caution and attempt to carry a larger number of party members along. Akeredolu also criticized the zoning formula, describing it as unworkable and expressing concern about attempts to restrict the party's leadership choices.
Source: VANGUARD NEWS
Content created and supplied by: Yabman (via Opera News )
COMMENTS