Nigeria Politics: The Contention of the South-East

The Contention of the South-East - As the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP grapples with which zone produces presiding officers of the Seventh National Assembly, the tradition of numbers as a universal political principle may be threatened by intrigues and high-wire politics . Like other political parties, the PDP had always allocated positions according to the political strength of each zone. Between 1999 and 2003, two members of the House of Representatives, Reps Salisu Buhari and Ghali Umar Na'Abba, were Speakers.

They were speakers because Kano, a PDP state then, with 44 Local Governments, represented the biggest block of votes for the party, apart from other states in the Northwest zone that went the PDP way.

In 2003, the North-West retained the slot after the party repeated a 'Tsunami' feat and capped it with last-minute defections of some ANPP Governors to the ruling party.

But in 2007, for the first time in eight years, the slot swung to the South-West, after the PDP zoned the Presidency to the North-West. Aside producing many NASS members, the PDP had five of the six governorship seats in the South-West.

Now, the party has been practically swept out of the South-West by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) but some PDP leaders, who are of the view that the game of numbers should be replaced by the 'stability' factor, want the Speaker slot to remain in the South-West.

However, members of the South-East Caucus in the National Assembly, who have insisted that they must produce nothing short of the Senate Presidency or the Speakership of the Green Chamber, argued t retaining the speakership in the South-west did not hold water given the outcome of the 2011 polls.

A press statement jointly signed by members of the caucus, that is chaired by Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha, decried a perceived marginalisation of the area for some time, despite the zone's faith in the PDP.

The caucus argued that retaining the slot in an area that was swept by the ACN at the April polls was not justifiable.

Now, the South-west has only three members of the PDP in the House, namely Reps. Mulikat Adeola, Muraina Ajibola and Kamil Akinlabi, all from Oyo State.

Both Adeola and Ajibola (all Moslems) are said to be favoured by different camps of PDP party stalwarts or the party's Board of Trustees (BOT).

Said the South-East caucus: "In recent times, the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria has suffered many serious political setbacks. Some of these have been self-inflicted while others have been imposed. In the April 2011 presidential elections, in demonstration of absolute good faith, the South East wholeheartedly and unconditionally backed the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR.

This followed the bloc votes given to him by the zone at the PDP primaries resulting in his emergence as the party flagbearer. This was despite the numerous tempting offers from our brothers from other geopolitical zones in the Northern part of the country."

The caucus stressed that from the overwhelming support the zone had given the party at all levels, it would be justifiable if the position of Speaker or Senate President was given to the area.

It said: "The position of the South-East that it would not run for the office of the President or Vice President, no doubt compelled both the ACN and the CPC Presidential candidates, to pick their running mates from the South West. The results of the just concluded general elections show that the PDP in the South-East received over 85 per cent support in the National Assembly elections, and about 97 per cent support in the presidential election. The total votes of 5.1 million represent almost a quarter of the total valid votes received by President Jonathan in the presidential election.

"From the above figures, it is crystal clear that in the 2011 General Elections, the PDP did very well in the South-East Zone. This position is in line with the voting pattern started in 1999, representing PDP dominance in the South-East. It is therefore incomprehensible that over 85 per cent South-East support for PDP in the National Assembly elections will be sacrificed for any reason whatsoever.

"It is pertinent to mention here that under the present circumstances only the position of Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives is acceptable to the South East. It is a gratuitous insult to offer the South East any position less than this. The argument about religious balancing is not tenable, historically.

The Caucus went memory lane on how the zone had always supported the ruling party and why they deserve the slot now.

"We may recall that in the Second Republic, while the President (Shehu Shagari) was a Muslim, the Vice President, Senate President and Speaker were all Christians. Hell was not let loose. During the 1993 presidential elections, the South-East put its weight behind the SDP's Abiola/Kingibe candidature - a Muslim Muslim ticket," it recalled.

On arguments that both presiding officers could not be from the same religion, the caucus referred to the case of former Speaker Particia Etteh (before she was replaced by Dimeji Bankole) and Senate President David Mark, who were both Christians.

"In 2007, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Patricia Etteh were Christians. In fact, in the current legislature, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims. Religion has never been an issue. How has it now crept in surreptitiously?

"We call on Ohaneze Ndigbo, all the Governors of the South East, all Senators and Honourable members -elect, and all stakeholders in the politics of the South East, who were in the forefront in convincing the people of the South East to support President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, to once again rally round and ensure that the South East is not further humiliated.

"We insist on either the offices of the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives. We will reject other offices such as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Deputy President of the Senate or any such office that may be offered to undermine the attainment of the two offices so mentioned. Our patience, support and loyalty must not be taken for granted," it said.

Vanguard/11/05/2011

I think this religion crap is now defeated.

No speakership, No more PDP in SE Nigeria.

It seems OBJ didn't cross-check his history books well.

God bless the writer for bringing out that loophole.