House of Reps Speaker: ‘Igbo, not Yoruba deserve the first shot’
By Chioma Gabriel, Assistant Editor
Posted to the Web: Saturday, May 19, 2007



THE on-going debate over which zone clinches the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and other principal seats in the forthcoming National Assembly, has continued to rouse ethnic passion as well as attract comments from especially the South-East and South-West geo-political zones.

The issue of where the Senate presidency should go is almost a settled matter with no other zone contesting it with North-Central. Rather, the competition is among which state and person from the zone should take the first shot.

However, it is not the same thing in the case of the Speaker of the House of Reps. Both the South-East and South-West are laying claim to this number four position in the land. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also been quiet on where it would zone the seat, thereby heightening the scramble.
The Igbos, nonetheless, are making moral argument, pleading with their Yoruba counterparts to concede the position to them after having President Olusegun Obasanjo from the same zone rule for eight years.

According to Chief Cletus Idoko, a prominent PDP member in Enugu North senatorial district, the Yorubas should allow the Igbos to have the first shot at the speakership.

Said he: “I think our brothers from South-West should allow us (Igbos) to produce the next Speaker. Chief Obasanjo who is from the zone is just about finishing eight years as the number one citizen. So, if the Igbos who only occupied the number three slot cannot get positions one, two or three, it is only rational that they should get the number four position.

“Mr. President shall become the chairman of the Board of Trustees after May 29 just as the South-East may get the chairman of the party. So, let our brothers concede that slot to us in the interest of justice and fairness.”

Though he believes that the South-East will get its fair share after the zoning of offices, Nze Fidelis Ozichikwu, the national vice-chairman of PDP (South-East) told Saturday Vanguard that he does not understand the desperation and agitation about who becomes the next Speaker of the federal House of Representatives since it is not the only position available for grabs.

“Why are people particular about who produces the next Speaker of the House of Representatives? What about the position of the Senate President? I don’t think the Igbos are going to lose out in anything that is due to them because the PDP has not shared anything.”

Ozichukwu said that in 1999, everything was anchored on rotation and zoning and that was why President Obasanjo on emerging the presidential candidate of the PDP chose Atiku Abubakar from the North.

“He did so,” said Ozichukwu, “based on his vision and knowledge that the East, the West and the North should continue to remain a family and therefore, each should have a representation in Nigeria’s government.

“It will be good and fair to have the Igbos incorporated because PDP is one big family and we are our brother’s keeper. Then in 1999, (Dr. Alex) Ekwueme was meant to be the Senate President but it didn’t work out the way we wanted it then. That was how Enwerem emerged and from him to Okadigbgo, Anyim, Wabara and now Nnamani.

“But PDP will not lose sight of the fact that there will be an all-inclusive government where everybody will have a sense of belonging. So, I believe the Igbos will get what is due to them. It is either they retain the position of the Senate President or have the Speaker of the House of Reps. I believe we will have a good team especially with the wisdom of the present President. I believe there will be equity in PDP’s decision.”

Maxi Okwu, the presidential candidate of Citizens Popular Party described the whole process as unfortunate. “The truth is that Ndigbo have lost out in the power configuration. We are at present occupying the number three position but now, we are agitating to get the number four. That’s what PDP did to the Igbos. We are going down. because we didn’t get our focus right. We didn’t get a part in the power calculus of the PDP.”

However, Chief Supo Shoribare, the chairman of Democratic Peoples Alliance in Lagos state says that the scramble for the number four seat between the two zones is misplaced.

“We are talking of a fraudulently-conducted election and how the issue should be tackled once and for all. We cannot be talking of a Speaker out of such a massively-rigged poll.”

Also, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, Second Republic Speaker of House of Reps would not be dragged into the debate because, “it is a stupid thing to be talking about who occupies the position of Speaker when my party, the ANPP is fighting for a bigger thing. I’m not interested in what is going on in PDP house.”
But Senator Ugochukwu Uba (PDP, Anambra) told this paper that he cannot speak authoritatively on the issue because it is the party that will tackle the zoning formula matter.

But Clem Ezenna opines that “no matter what happens at the end of the day, we (Igbos) should get nothing less than number four. I don’t think we should be struggling with the South-West because their son is only about completing two terms as president.”