[size=15pt]Northern Govs endorse NASS zoning formula[/size]

By Rotimi Akinwumi (Abuja) and Okey Maduforo (Awka)





Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn (left), and Oando Group Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chair, 2011 World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, Wale Tinubu, at the WEF in Cape Town, South-Africa.

Northern Governors have urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to retain the current zoning of posts in the National Assembly (NASS) which, among others, gives the Senate President to the North Central, Deputy Senate President (South East), House Speaker (South West), and Deputy House Speaker (North East).

Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu,  announced the position after a meeting of 15 of the 19 Governors  in Abuja on Tuesday.

The NGF condemned post-election violence that greeted the result of the Presidential vote in the North and expressed support for the committee President Goodluck Jonathan has set up to investigate the killings.

The Governors reiterated that the elections were free, fair, and credible, and urged Jonathan to reward Nigerians with good governance for the confidence reposed in him through their votes.
[b]
But former Anambra State Governor and now Senator-elect, Chris Ngige, has joined his fellow South East lawmakers to reject the zoning of the posts of Deputy Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to the region.   

The South East National Assembly (NASS) caucus wants the Senate Presidency or the House of Representatives Speakership.

Ngige told reporters in Awka on Tuesday that the holder of the office of SGF is more of a personal staff to the President who can be hired and fired at his discretion.

Said he: “When they do it, it shows that you people are inconsequential. In the last dispensation, we (the South East) had Deputy Senate President and we had the National Chairman of the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party). But you do not entrench zoning so that you can kill some people. Zoning is to make them feel that they belong.

“Today again, they are saying that the South East will get Deputy Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. As far as I am concerned, the SGF is the Secretary of the Government of the President. He can be hired and fired at will.

“That is not a position you can put in a basket for zoning. The SGF is like an employee of Mr. President. He picks and chooses him without recourse to anybody.”

Ngige recalled that the South East NASS caucus resolved at a meeting that anything short of the Senate Presidency or the House Speakership is not fair and righteous.

“If you divide the positions in the country, you must take into account the people and their wants, the population. So to that extent, I am an ACN  (Action Congress of Nigeria) Senator, Senator Chris Anyanwu is incumbent and is in APGA (All Progressives Grand Alliance). So two of us don’t mind, we were primarily Igbo before we became Nigerians.

“After that, it now comes to our party. Our party interest comes in, after our party interest, our own personal interest, can now come in. If anybody from the South East picking a lesser position will jeopardise our  people getting the aforementioned position, that person can forgo it. [/b]

Ngige enthused that the next Senate will not make laws that will not be implemented.

“We will then make laws that have general and universal application. Laws that will be for the enhancement of the citizens of the country, laws that will assist the executive to give programmes that will touch the lives of the common people of this country.

“I want to be part of the Senate that will lift our people one step from where they are. I don’t want to make money laws or budgets that will be hogwash, budgets that are not implemented.

“In the last four years, Nigerians have been given budgets that are not implemented, yet the executive will tell you it has done budget implementation of about 40 per cent. I will not be part of that.”

Also on Tuesday, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leaders met with federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the party in Abuja to hone positions in the emerging national political scenario.

Those at the gathering included ACN National Chairman, Bisi Akande; former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu; Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola; Ogun Governor-elect, Ibikunle Amosun; Osun Deputy Governor, Laoye Tomori; ACN National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed; and former ACN National Chairman, Audu Ogbeh.

The lawmakers included Ngige,; Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; House of Representatives Diaspora Committee Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“We congratulate you on your victory at various levels,” Tinubu told the legislators.

“We thank God for you. We thank God for our party. We thank God for what He has given us so far.”

He said only fiscal federalism can accelerate national growth and the Federal Government needs no more than about 30 per cent of revenue allocation, instead of the current 52 per cent.

Fashola advised the lawmakers to always attend plenary and committee meetings.

“As a Governor, I have watched plenary many times and it has not looked too good when you see an empty Parliament. We expect to see fullest possible attendance. We have listened to eminent and experienced Parliamentarians but the truth is that you cannot give what you do not have.”

Akande pledged that the ACN will never take part in a Government of National Unity (GNU) with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because it will amount to foisting a one-party state on the country.

Mohammed noted that “We are running a Presidential system of government which makes no provision for a  GNU; we also run a Constitution without provision for a GNU (which) breaches a vibrant democracy.

“Our party has banned courtesy visit to any Governor who is not a member of our party. It is the right of any person to associate freely but such a person interested in GNU has to resign from our party.”

Mamora tasked the lawmakers  to master the rules of the NASS without which they cannot be good Parliamentarians.

Gbajabiamila said if the opposition comes under one umbrella and speaks with one voice, it will set the agenda.

Dabiri-Erewa called for party discipline.

Ogbeh urged the lawmakers to have a “second address” by planning for their future, warning that, “As legislators, you will make more enemies than friends when you take on Ministers and Heads of MDAs during budget session and oversight functions.”

He added: “Legislative life is tough; it is risky. The experience is not peculiar to Nigeria; it is the same in India and the UK.

"Don’t waste this opportunity; remember that one day you will no longer be legislators. Remember to keep a second address; you will need it when your tenure is over.

“Watch the new friends you keep because not all of them will be charitable to you after leaving office.

“Be careful of how you are spending. Out of 57 of us in the Benue State House of Assembly between 1979 and 1983, seven of us are alive and only two have cars now.”

http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=33596

This man keeps giving me reasons to love him. It will be very unfair if the Senate President is not zoned to SE

he doesnt really make sense . .  he said obi nd dora are hypocrites for tagging ACN as a yoruba party nd in this interview he says he is ibo before nigerian, basically speaking on behalf of ibos- the same thing he criticized dora n obi for.

the best thing he could have said was nothing . . . since its not his party. lol Afterall you dont see ACN members in the SW talking about pdp zoning.

^
He representing his constituents interest. . .

^^^^^^^^ so what makes him any different from dora she said the same thing hes saying nd when she said it he criticized her lmfao

it would be best if he were to decamp to pdp or apga

sbeezy8:

it would be best if he were to decamp to pdp or apga

Now that he is going against SW PDP political interest, you have a problem with him abi?

As Ngige would be expected to do - it is not as if his party can put up anybody for the position.

The problem the SE has is that they want to eat the cake and keep it too. Presidency in the SS is almost as good as SE and VP is in the NW.

There is no way the SE is going to get the Senate Presidency - may be Speaker of the House.

Now, who is going to get Senate Presidency if SE gets Speaker? It certainly can't be the SW since the they did not vote for PDP - that leaves the NC/NE - NC currently has it and is likely to keep it.

The SW may end up with the SGF position - which is not an elected position. It is less secure than the VP and has almost the same lack of constitutional powers, but the delegated powers of the VP & SGF positions can be very juicy. I don't think Jonathan wants a SGF from the SE anyway - just my opinion.

no hes going against ACNs principle

has nothing to do with SW pdp- if there is any. you dont find any SW pdp members who even have enough gull to ask for speaker position its obviously OBJ,the SS and north who are forcing them.

the north only wants speakership for SW cause they want the senate presidency for the NC

koruji:

As Ngige would be expected to do - it is not as if his party can put up anybody for the position.

The problem the SE has is that they want to eat the cake and keep it too. Presidency in the SS is almost as good as SE and VP is in the NW.

There is no way the SE is going to get the Senate Presidency - may be Speaker of the House.

Now, who is going to get Senate Presidency if SE gets Speaker? It certainly can't be the SW since the they did not vote for PDP - that leaves the NC/NE - NC currently has it and is likely to keep it.

The SW may end up with the SGF position - which is not an elected position. It is less secure than the VP and has almost the same lack of constitutional powers, but the delegated powers of the VP & SGF positions can be very juicy. I don't think Jonathan wants a SGF from the SE anyway - just my opinion.

How is the SE in Anyway having their cake and eating it? Try to make sense. SGF is best suitable for those who did not perform well, the SW. It will keep them on their feet and make them work harder.

Senate Presidency is not going to happen. Kapish .

SE might get the Speaker position ahead of the SW, and that is okay since the SW kicked PDP out.

The SW is telling Nigeria's unitary hodge-podge to go to blazes

However, PDP being the "price is right" party would need to find a price big enough to keep its SW PDP members happy, just like it must keep its SE members happy.

I am loving this demonstration that we are running an inscrutable political arrangement. It is high time we rearrange to favor the people.

High_Chief:

This man keeps giving me reasons to love him. It will be very unfair if the Senate President is not zoned to SE

You have to go back and read all I wrote and digest it b/4 calling me names. My whole point is that SE is not going to get Senate Presidency while the SS (their cousin) is also holding the Presidency.

It is either Speaker or SGF for SE, and it will be okay to give SE the speakership since the SW kicked PDP in the groin.

Chyz*:

How is the SE in Anyway having their cake and eating it? Try to make sense. SGF is best suitable for those who did not perform well, the SW. It will keep them on their feet and make them work harder.

Chyz*:

How is the SE in Anyway having their cake and eating it? Try to make sense. SGF is best suitable for those who did not perform well, the SW. It will keep them on their feet and make them work harder.

I wonder o. Some people just make sweeping comments without facts.

koruji:

You have to go back and read all I wrote and digest it b/4 calling me names. My whole point is that SE is not going to get Senate Presidency while the SS (their cousin) is also holding the Presidency.

It is either Speaker or SGF for SE, and it will be okay to give SE the speakership since the SW kicked PDP in the groin.

Never called you a name. Go back and reread what I posted. Your comment of having our cake and eating it makes no sense. SS and SE are two different zones. That is what I was trying to get across to you.

Okay.

Well, you are not making sense. Here is what I am saying. The two most powerful positions at the center are the Presidency and Senate Presidency - you are basically saying that the whole country should hand those two positions to two cousins (SS and SE).

Get it now. It is not going to happen.

BTW SS and SE are two regions the way Ekiti and Ondo are two states - not much different if you ask me. We really have only 4 distinct regions in Nigeria - SW, SE (with the SS split between the two), Upper North and Middle Belt.

Chyz*:

Never called you a name. Go back and reread what I posted. Your comment of having our cake and eating it makes no sense. SS and SE are two different zones. That is what I was trying to get across to you.

[size=13pt]Senate Presidency: David Mark promises Senators N10 million each [/size]
…Hires Ngige, Mamora, Abdulahi, Dariye, Ndume, Ningi as Foot Soldiers
…Why He frustrated the South East Bid for Speaker
…Set to dismantle Opposition from North East, South East tentative budget is N650 million
…To review of Quarterly Allowance, dangles juicy Committee Chairs




http://www.pointblanknews.com/News/os4907.html


==================================================================

Nigerians never seize to amaze me . Look at what we are arguing about in this century. I would think someone would be saying "The new Senate will take a serious pay cut or we need to find serious solutions to our education" but alas na zoning this, zoning that. God help us.

dem_people:

[size=13pt]Senate Presidency: David Mark promises Senators N10 million each [/size]
…Hires Ngige, Mamora, Abdulahi, Dariye, Ndume, Ningi as Foot Soldiers
…Why He frustrated the South East Bid for Speaker
…Set to dismantle Opposition from North East, South East tentative budget is N650 million
…To review of Quarterly Allowance, dangles juicy Committee Chairs




http://www.pointblanknews.com/News/os4907.html


==================================================================

If this is indeed true, then David Mark should be IMPEACHED. This is outright bribery. The man has no shame. Hopefully, the SE stands united against his promise of riches.

Bloody tribalists

I shake my head for Ndigbo

all of us know that acn is a yoruba party. I know that yorubas are very hapy when ngige says that acn is not a trbal party. what I want sw to know is that ngige in acn is a minus to sw tribal interest and secret ambitions with acn bcuz he ngige is a strong and no push around man. he is a lover of his people and highly progressive oriented. my idea is that lower huz chairman is going east bcuz they made gej and pdp 2011 election. and I know that will surely hapen at last.

Hard not to respect Ngige.

He won't let party affiliation prevent him from fighting for his constituency (SE zone).

Something sounds a little off. The man is a member of the opposition party and one of the opposition party's arguments is against zoning and tribalism, they also do believe that positions should go to credible and competent people and not given to people based on tribal and regional reasons.

At the end of the day, it's all about his tribe and not his party's core believe and principles. He really shouldn't be concerning himself with issues concerning the PDP like who they nominate or not. Maybe he should have joined the PDP or AGPA to fight for his people and and party positions. Funny enough, the man was just clowning other people for the same dam.n tribal nonsense,

This Ngige follows his own rules it seems.

You need politicians like that in every country.

Someone who doesn't follow the norm. Maybe I was wrong about him. Hopefully, I see more unpredictable things coming from him.

Acn is never a party of credibility if they are as som sw peeps claims,tell me how credible is tinubu's wife? how credible is tinubu to be the mouth piece of the party? charity begins at home they say. ngige himself knows this truth and acn will not challenge his stand on this bcuz that will open up some secret.

9ja voice:

Acn is never a party of credibility if they are as som sw peeps claims,tell me how credible is tinubu's wife? how credible is tinubu to be the mouth piece of the party? charity begins at home they say. ngige himself knows this truth and acn will not challenge his stand on this bcuz that will open up some secret.

We don't know, please tell us the reason/s why they are not credible.

EzeUche_:

This Ngige follows his own rules it seems.

You need politicians like that in every country.

Someone who doesn't follow the norm. Maybe I was wrong about him. Hopefully, I see more unpredictable things coming from him.

I don't think folks in sane and civilized countries will agree with you, abeg let's keep our madness in Nigeria, other people are trying to move forward and not backward like Nigeria.

my dear let's keep sentiment aside ok. acn as a party has chairman so why should it be tinubu the one to cut deals with cpc in a meeting the chairman attended. you see ! we all know that acn sw will vote for david mark but that will be a step too late,bcuz the noise you hear now from the se just a distraction cus they have agreed on lower huz chairman.
many pple use acn to win election from other region bcuz acn is the only party that opposes pdp in there region heavily.

Eko Ile:


We don't know, please tell us the reason/s why they are not credible.

I think they would, just look at some of the U.S. politicians who follow their own rules like Ron Paul and his son Rand Paul.

In Japan, a former prime minister was just as unique.

9ja voice:

my dear let's keep sentiment aside ok. acn as a party has chairman so why should it be tinubu the one to cut deals with cpc in a meeting the chairman attended. you see ! we all know that acn sw will vote for david mark but that will be a step too late,bcuz the noise you hear now from the se just a distraction cus they have agreed on lower huz chairman.
many pple use acn to win election from other region bcuz acn is the only party that opposes pdp in there region heavily.

I'm not interested in your silly rumors and innuendos. Were you at the meeting? You saw Tinubu cutting deals on behalf of ACN? Stick to facts and stop spewing silly rumors like a freeking market woman.

Now answer my question or just keep your silly rumors to yourself,

Jonathan, Northern Govs back Mark



By Henry Umoru & Inalegwu Shaibu
ABUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and governors of the 19 northern states, yesterday, threw their weight behind Senator David Mark as president of the incoming Senate.

The latest backing for the incumbent Senate president in the forthcoming leadership contest was followed by an advise from Senator Chris Adighije to the next Senate to sustain the stability of the present Senate through the election of Senator Mark as president.

Also yesterday, the League of Idoma Professors expressed support for the re_election of Senator Mark as Senate president in the incoming seventh National Assembly.

The President, in a personally signed congratulatory message to Senator Mark on his re-election as a Senator obtained by Vanguard, yesterday, said he was looking forward to forming a formidable partnership with him that will drive Nigeria forward with him as Senate president.

He also described Senator Mark’s victory as an expression of the confidence of the people of Benue South senatorial district on his leadership qualities.

President Jonathan wrote: “Working together, I am confident that we successfully drive our nation’s transformation over the next four years. I assure you of the federal Government’s unstinting support as we jointly work to reposition Nigeria for her God_ordained greatness.”

The northern governors on their part at the end of an emergency meeting in Abuja, called for the preservation of the present zoning formula which threw up Mark as Senate president and the re-election of the incumbent Senate president.

The resolve of the Northern Governors was made known by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu.

While calling on Nigerians to sustain the present zoning arrangement of national offices, Aliyu said: “We also support the zoning formula that has been adopted as the national life by the government and the ruling party, the PDP and particularly, we support the National Assembly zoning which has recognised the excellent work of President of the Senate, President David Mark and we urge that all the zoning formula should be adopted properly and we are in support of that.”

Governors of Niger, Zamfara, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Bauchi, Jigawa and three Deputy Governors attended the meeting, even as they moved to the Presidential villa immediately after the meeting for further consultation with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Senator Adighije, now Abia State Commissioner at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC on his part also yesterday expressed confidence in the leadership ability of Senator Mark saying that the next Senate would be ill-advised not to allow Senator Mark continue as Senate President. While noting what he described as Mark’s sterling leadership qualities, Adighije said:

“There is no doubt that Senator Mark has brought a positive change in the leadership and stability of the Senate. The unprecedented stability in the Senate is an attribute of Senator David Mark which the nation cannot afford to lose at this time and I will urge my distinguished colleagues of the 7th Senate to allow Mark partner with President Jonathan in the onerous task ahead,” Adighije said yesterday.

“Mark has brought a new culture of purposefulness to the Senate and I don’t see any reason why anyone would object to this,” he added.

Meanwhile, the League of Idoma Professors in a statement signed by the coordinator, Professor Owoicho Akpa, said their support for Senator Mark stemmed from his exemplary leadership qualities.

The statement reads: “What the Senate and indeed, the National Assembly and Nigeria need now is the right kind of leadership to sustain the momentum of progress that has come with the just concluded elections.

“What has fast become the main issue in the political discourse of the National Assembly is: “who becomes the next President of the Senate?

“ There are numerous arguments for and against several choices of who should or should not be elevated to that position. This debate most also include the current leader. After all, why change a wining team.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/05/jonathan-northern-govs-back-mark/

Now that the Senate president position don vamoose, what's next?

Speaker of secretary?

Well, we know speaker is heading west.

My ibo folks, abeg take secretary, it's better than nothing,

Eko Ile:


I don't think folks in sane and civilized countries will agree with you, abeg let's keep our madness in Nigeria, other people are trying to move forward and not backward like Nigeria.

rolling on the floor