From Fred Itua, Abuja
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Ajibola Basiru, yesterday, described as untrue, claims that both the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have zoned the leadership positions for the 10th National Assembly.
The lawmaker, who is representing Osun Central in the Senate, said the zoning arrangements would be perfected after the ongoing Ramadan fast. He spoke on a national television programme.
Some members-elect in the Senate had already expressed interest in the presiding officers positions.
They include, 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 House of Representatives speaker.
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); Mariam Onuoha (South East); Makki Abubakar Yalleman (North West); and Abdulraheem Olawuyi (North Central).
Bashiru explained that any of the senators-elect is competent to be presiding officers over the National Assembly.
He clarified that the APC’s NWC and the party’s NEC had not taken any decision on 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.
“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 Senate president and the House of Representatives speaker.
“You cannot wish away such argument, particularly when you see the divisive nature that politics has taken in recent time 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 our party will ultimately take a decision on the zoning, possibly after Ramadan and certainly before June when the next Assembly will be convoked.”
He said some of the parameters to be considered for the emergence of the next Senate president and the next House of Representatives speaker 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 having a cohesive force going into the election.
“The APC won 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.”