From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A coalition of All Progressive Congress (APC) geopolitical zones support groups in the North West zone has called for the inclusion of the North Central for the leadership position at the National Assembly, saying that the zone deserves the seat of the Deputy Senate President.
The group said including the North Central in the race for the red chamber has become imperative for fairness, justice and equity to reign.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the Coordinator, North West, Abubakar Ali Bagwai, along with the Secretary, North West, Bello Musa Kubau, noted that North Central deserves the position of Deputy Senate President considering the performance of the region in the 2023 general election in the country.
To this end, they pleaded with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to listen to their call and do the needful on the issue of giving the Deputy Senate President seat to the North Central.
“We, the Coalition of APC Geopolitical Zones Support Groups, North West Zone, In the spirit of Fairness, Equity, Justice, Inclusiveness and National Unity, hereby call on the APC national working committee and the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to review the national assembly leadership zoning arraignment to include North Central, so as to give each section of the county a sense of belonging.
“There shouldn’t be favouritism or preference to any section of the country. And no region should be marginalised, excluded, or sidelined. We are aware that our zone, the North West, has been given two leadership positions (Speaker and Deputy Senate President) by the APC national assembly zoning arrangement, while the North Central was given non. This has created an image of favouritism towards the North West and marginalisation against North Central.
“Even if political loyalty and performance are to be considered and rewarded, North Central deserves the position of Deputy Senate President considering the region’s performance in the just concluded 2023 general election in the county.
“The candidate of our party the APC, President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, won four states (Benue, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger) out of the six states in the zone, and the APC won five states out of the six in the region in the gubernatorial elections.
“This is the best election result the APC had in the whole of Northern Nigeria. As the APC only won one state (Borno) out of six in the North East and won only two states (Jigawa and Zamfara) out of seven states in North West in the 2023 presidential election. Hence, North Central deserves to be appreciated and rewarded politically by the APC and President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu due to this great performance.
“In emulating our elders, We the Coalition of APC Geopolitical Zones Support Groups North West have ceded the position of Deputy Senate President to the North Central while retaining the Speakership position in the North West. This is done in the spirit of Equity, Fairness, Inclusiveness, Justice, Peace, Solidarity, Stability, and Unity.
“We also want to state that we agree with the position of His Excellency Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, the Governor of Ondo state, and that of the North Central Governors, as well as the North Central Senators. That demands a review of the APC national assembly leadership zoning arrangement and calls for the inclusion of the North Central.
“We also want to plead to our father, the father of the nation, President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to listen to us and do the needful on this issue,” the group stated.