Major-General Muhammadu Buhari
- APC govs in crucial meeting with Oyegun on zoning, ministerial slots
As the unlikelihood of the All Progressives Congress (APC) being able to enforce a zoning formula that would ensure the equitable distribution of key posts in the incoming administration becomes more apparent, there is a major likelihood that the Northern section of the country would account for the four topmost positions in the country.
These are the presidency, which will be occupied by Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the post of Senate President, that of the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the
Federation (CJN).
Should this scenario play out, the entire Southern section of the
country would end up with the posts of deputies starting from the
vice-presidency to the deputy speakership, which could create a problem,
as it contravenes the federal character clause enshrined in the
constitution.
Sources in the APC informed THISDAY that with the “Tambuwal syndrome”
gathering pace in the National Assembly, the chances are very high that
the legislators would jettison whatever zoning formula that may be
determined by the party and decide on key leaders of their choice.
The Tambuwal syndrome arose in 2011 when members of the House of
Representatives ignored the zoning formula of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), which had zoned the post of speakership and the deputy to
the South-west and North-east geopolitical zones, respectively.
Instead, its members – Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha –
respectively from the North-west and South-east, contested for the posts
and emerged speaker and deputy speaker of the House with the help of
their colleagues from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the time.
An APC source said that as it stands, with the party unable to
determine a generally acceptable zoning formula, this has provided the
leeway for legislators to close ranks and back candidates of their
choice.
He said that while the North-east and North-cental zones are angling
for the Senate presidency, the South-west and North-east have entered
the trenches in the battle for the speakership in the House.
The two main contenders for the Senate presidency are Senators Bukola
Saraki from the North-central zone and Ahmed Lawan from the North-east,
so should any of them emerge, the North would have clinched the post,
the APC source explained.
For the speakership, the main contenders are Femi Gbajabiamila from the
South-west and Yakubu Dogara from the North-east, with the latter
having the clear edge over his South-west rival for the post.
The APC source said whichever way one looks at it, the North could end
up holding all the four key positions in the incoming administration if
care is not taken and the South, particularly the South-west which
played a vital role in Buhari’s victory, playing second fiddle.
Meanwhile, 22 governors of the APC met with the leadership of the party
led by the National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun last night in Abuja to
try and broker an acceptable zoning formula for the incoming government.
The governors, who met on the platform of the Progressives Governor's
Forum (PGF) started arriving at the venue, the Imo Governors Lodge at
about 7.30 pm.
THISDAY gathered that the meeting of the governors with Oyegun and
other key party leaders was consultative and aimed at sharing thoughts
on how best the party and the president-elect will go about forming a
new administration.
According to a source at the meeting, Oyegun who is a member of a
select group appointed to help resolve the impasse that had arisen from
the zoning of political offices, used the opportunity to inform the
governors about the proposals from the party leadership on the zoning
formula and ministerial appointments.
Oyegun also tried to get the opinion of the governors on some of the
contentious issues to determine their interests and see if their
positions could be accommodated in the final blueprint to be forwarded
for approval.
There were indications that the party leadership may have reached a
truce on most of the issues relating to how the ministerial appointments
would be made.
But the issue of zoning of principal offices of the National Assembly
was kept for further consultations with Buhari and other top party
leaders.
The governors will today pay a visit to Buhari to congratulate him and
will also present their demands for ministerial appointments from their
states.
Among the governors in attendance were Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Tanko
Al-Makura (Nassarawa), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun),
Oyegun, former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, Governors-elect
Tambuwal (Sokoto), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and
Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa).
Saraki and Senator-elect Binta Garba were also sighted at the venue of
the meeting though they did not participate. As at press time, the
meeting was still in session.
Culled from Thisday
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