[size=18pt]Opposition mounts against south-west Speaker bid[/size]
By Festus Owete and Ini Ekott
May 16, 2011 01:02AM
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The south-east zonal caucus in the House of Representatives, on Sunday, rejected the zoning arrangement adopted by the national caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the exclusion of the zone from producing the senate president and the speaker of the House was disappointing and regrettable.

It also added that it was an "affront to the psyche and well-being of its people." It, therefore, called on the national executive committee (NEC) of the party to revisit the arrangement and accede to the demand of the zone to produce either of the presiding officers of the National Assembly.

The PDP had on Tuesday night adopted the current power sharing formula in the party with minor adjustments.

One of the adjustments was that of the chairmanship of the party, now zoned to the north-east while the secretary to the government of the federation would come from the south-east zone.

The caucus meeting held at the presidential villa was attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, and his deputy, Namadi Sambo. Others at the meeting were the acting national chairman of the PDP, Bello Mohammed and other members of the national working committee (NWC), members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and some governors.

It agreed that like the formula endorsed in 2007, the north-central zone would still produce the senate president, while the speaker would come from the south-west. The south-east would also produce the deputy senate president while the deputy speaker of the House will be produced by the north-east.

South-east revolt

In a statement signed by 33 lawmakers from Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Abia States, the caucus said denying the zone of either of the two offices was tantamount to insufficient recognition of the overwhelming support it gave both President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP.

"We reject the zoning formula recently adopted by the PDP with respect to major offices of government at the federal level, which we consider skewed against the south-east zone," it said.

The lawmakers added that "It is a widely acknowledged fact that the zone voted massively for PDP in all the offices contested in the last elections. PDP got 85 percent support in the National Assembly elections."

They noted that with only three returning PDP members out of five from the south-west in the incoming House of Representatives, the choice for leadership recruitment was limited.

According to them, the south-east had 18 cognate members in the incoming House, out of at least 33 current PDP members.

"We as elected representatives of the people of the zone cannot sit back and watch our people decimated politically, socially and economically," they said.

They also asked the NEC of the PDP, being the highest decision making body of the party, to re-visit this decision and accede to the demand of the south-east on this matter, adding "we are not begging to be given deserving and commensurate offices, we demand it."

Meanwhile, the aspiration of some lawmakers from the south-west to Speaker of the House was further threatened last Friday with the formation of a group in the House vowing to stop them. The group specifically vowed to stop the strongest contender among them, Ajibola Muraina, from emerging the Speaker.

Other contenders in the race are Mulikat Akade-Adeola and Kareem Tajudeen Abisogun. The trio are retuning PDP members from Oyo state. It was however gathered that the group, which is being bankrolled by some top PDP members, was not opposed to the zoning of the office of the Speaker to the south-west, but it is uncomfortable with the reported positioning of Mr Muraina to occupy the office because of his closeness to Mr Obasanjo.

A member of the group told journalists in Abuja on Friday that Mr Muraina's endorsement amounted to handing over the affairs of the entire National Assembly to Mr Obasanjo.

It claimed that Mr Muraina, who represents Ibarapa federal constituency of Oyo State, was handpicked by the former president for the plum job.

It also alleged that in the last four years, he can only be remembered for frustrating the probe of the $16 billon expended by the Obasanjo administration by the committee on power which he is a member.

Musa Sarkin Adar, a re-elected member, representing Goronyo/Gada federal constituency of Sokoto State, confirmed that he is a member of the group. Mr Adar, who is also the chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, however, declined to give further details.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Ms Akande-Adeola, said the opposition of her colleagues from the south-east and the group would not stop her from going ahead with her campaign, saying it was a matter that the PDP should handle.

Ms Akande-Adeola, who represents the Ogbomosho North/South/Orire federal constituency of Oyo State, said that as a lawyer she was not afraid of the preponderance of men in the race for the position, insisting that her chances in the race were very bright.

Flexing muscles

Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) caucus in the House has opposed the zoning of the presiding offices in the National Assembly.

Leader of the caucus, Femi Gbajabiamila, in a telephone interview last night, said it was even wrong to zone an exalted position to three people. He also argued that since the president of the country and the chief justice of Nigeria, did not emerge through zoning, it was wrong to zone the offices in the National Assembly.

"I have never been an advocate of zoning and so if you say you are zoning the speakership to the south-west, it is a misnomer," Mr Gbajabiamila said. "Merit should not be sacrifice at the altar of zoning. I don't have a problem with somebody from south-west being speaker but we will not sacrifice merit at the altar of zoning."

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5701162-146/opposition_mounts_against_south-west_speaker_bid.csp

This is getting really ridiculous

All of Ndigbo crying like little girls. I thing the SW caucus should take the high road. Let them have it.


This is really funny and ridiculous that grown arse men could be behaving like this


What a shame.

Tribal politics is what is ruining this country.In other countries,office holders are appointed into political positions based on merit.In Nigeria however it is the other way round, what a shame.These men are leading this country into bloodshed.

Why should we let them have it?

If we can get another concession instead of similar value, sure. But why give it up for free?