Senators-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have warned against micro-zoning the leadership of the Senate to individuals, saying it would backfire on the party.

LEADERSHIP Friday reports that intense lobbying has begun for the leadership of the National Assembly.

In the Senate, Ahmed Lawan (Yobe), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Ali Ndume (Borno) and Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa) are considered the favourites for the Senate presidency.

However, a ranking senator-elect, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, has warned that if the party zoned the leadership positions to individuals, it would generate crisis for the party.

According to him, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was working to decide who becomes the Senate president, just like in 2015.


“If they do that, it will generate crisis and it won’t favour the party at the end of the day. Positions should only be zoned to geo-political zones and not individuals.

“Let the senators from that zone, in consultation with our colleagues on the floor, elect who to lead us so that we can have the feeling that we elected our own leaders, and not imposition from outside. Anything short of zonal arrangements will lead to rebellion as was the case in 2015.

“PDP senators, in cahoots with their party, are working to snatch it from us. They are just waiting for the time to strike. If care is not taken, the PDP will decide who becomes the Senate president because they are working in cohesion.

“But (this will be avoided) if APC throws it to the zones and allows the zonal caucuses to produce either two or three persons to the floor during election. The same thing should be done in the House.”

Another senator, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, declared that zoning positions to individuals would lead to instability.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the leadership of the APC embrace the zonal arrangements.

“The earlier it is done, the better for the party. But if it is zoned to individuals and the candidates are not popular, we will rebel and vote for another person, against the wish of the party.

“This will lead to instability and it won’t be good for the polity. It would be seen as appointment and not election. It is we the legislators that will elect our leaders and not our party. The party lacks the powers to appoint leaders for us. Zoning is allowed and it has worked well in the past. If we don’t put our house together, the PDP lawmakers will complicate matters for us.

“If you remember during the Obasanjo era, the position was zoned to the South East and all those that contested were from there. In 2007, it was zoned to the North Central and it was David Mark and George Akume that contested the position, and Mark defeated Akume. But in 2015 when it was left open to all, Bukola Saraki and Ahmed Lawan contested and that was the cause of the confusion,” he said.

Another senator-elect weighed in on the matter: “You cannot fence out the opposition. They have a stake and they must be allowed to contribute and play a role in the emergence of the presiding officers. It’s the Senate of the Federal Republic and not APC Senate.

“The party should put forward two or three candidates. Of course, it should not be let open without direction, but also no candidate should be imposed. If they impose a candidate, it won’t work.”

Daviddson:
Many APC apologists including my humble self blamed South Easterners for not voting in Chris Ngige in 2015, saying that he'll have become the Senate president. Now that APC has three senators from the SE, can't one be chosen from them? What other excuses does APC have?

Kenmatt:
I can categorically deduct from this piece that these guys are crying because it is going down to the South East, was it in connection to Orji Uzo Kalu's name been mentioned that is stirring them to cry?

Getting down to zone and emposing it on the same man from the zone are still the same thing.

Ike Ekwere Mmadu, this is a time you have to hit the lime light. Decamp and enter APC and see your self dazzle like a morning Star.

Although, it will not fashion out very well for the politics of Ndi Enugu but it will shoot you to the apex of your political career.

2023 President loading...

Awol1:
APC is the most daft human organisation on earth, and consequently never learns from the past.

Tinubu has an agenda that can only be protected by Ahmed Lawan. And because Oshiomole is just Tinubu's rubber stamp, expect the party to micro zone it to Ahmed Lawan.

APC as a party will never zone the Senate presidency to southeast, considering it will now place the zone in a strong position for 2023. Tinubu cannot make that mistake.

Ali Ndume is unquestionably loyal to Buhari but Tinubu cannot trust him.

Danjuma Goje is an ex-PDP man. And rumors has it Saraki is rooting for him which would automatically make APC to stand against him.

Another Saraki scenario is coming.

With Saraki and PDP senators to act spoilers.

nwanyionitsha:
Fool yourself no more. They aren't giving it to SE.

lenghtinny:
If things could go wrong with a level headed Oyegun, expect it to get worse with a man like Oshiomole

Daviddson:
Many APC apologists including my humble self blamed South Easterners for not voting in Chris Ngige in 2015, saying that he'll have become the Senate president. Now that APC has three senators from the SE, can't one be chosen from them? What other excuses does APC have?

Kenmatt:
I can categorically deduct from this piece that these guys are crying because it is going down to the South East, was it in connection to Orji Uzo Kalu's name been mentioned that is stirring them to cry?

Getting down to zone and emposing it on the same man from the zone are still the same thing.

Ike Ekwere Mmadu, this is a time you have to hit the lime light. Decamp and enter APC and see your self dazzle like a morning Star.

Although, it will not fashion out very well for the politics of Ndi Enugu but it will shoot you to the apex of your political career.

2023 President loading...

searchlight:
sounds so sweet but not practicable. remember politics is local. APC will never consider Igbo man for any reasonable political posts and that's why we will never identify with them. before 2023 our brothers eyes in APC will be opened widely. ike ekweremadu shifting grounds is the worst thing he can do considering that power will surely come back to PDP come 2023. ike ekweremadu for VP to kwankwaso come 2023