In the lead-up to the highly anticipated inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, President Bola Tinubu’s recent meetings with elected lawmakers have failed to quell the crisis surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) zoning arrangement. The President’s failure to name favored candidates during these meetings has left aspirants scrambling to secure support and strategize against the party’s consensus choices.
According to the APC National Working Committee, Senator Godswill Akpabio from the South-South region was designated for the position of Senate President, while Senator Jibrin Barau from the North-West was chosen as Deputy Senate President. However, other ambitious figures like Senators Abdulaziz Yari, Osita Izunaso, and Orji Kalu have staunchly refused to step down in favor of the party’s preferred candidates.
A similar situation unfolds in the House of Representatives, where the APC leadership has endorsed Tajudeen Abbas, the member-elect representing Kaduna (North-West), for the speakership role, and Benjamin Kalu, the member-elect from Abia State (South-East), as the Deputy Speaker. Despite this endorsement, the aspirants met with President Tinubu at Aso Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday night and continued their efforts to rally support and challenge the APC’s zoning arrangement for key positions within the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, have seized the opportunity to frustrate the APC’s plans for the NASS (National Assembly) leadership offices. The PDP has confirmed that it has formed an agreement with other opposition parties, intending to leverage their numerical advantage to influence the election of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Insiders suggest that at least two members of the G-7, a group of aspirants opposing the zoning system for the speaker position, may contest against Abbas. However, the G-7 has yet to announce its consensus candidate to challenge Abbas. Interestingly, some members of the G-7, such as Sani Jaji from Zamfara State and Sada Soli from Katsina State, belong to the same geopolitical zone as the APC’s preferred candidate.
Sources reveal that President Tinubu refrained from explicitly endorsing any specific candidates during his meetings with the aspirants and elected members. Instead, he emphasized the need for unity and a focus on national interest. Tinubu urged lawmakers to prioritize their constituencies and cooperate in electing capable leaders. However, his remarks left room for interpretation, allowing aspirants to capitalize on the absence of a direct endorsement.
As tensions rise and the power struggle intensifies, the nation awaits the outcome of the upcoming National Assembly elections. President Tinubu’s secretive approach has inadvertently created an opening for opposition parties to challenge the APC’s candidates, potentially reshaping the political landscape of Nigeria’s highest legislative body.
