Published by Joe Adams / 30 Mar 2019 / No comments / News , Politics
APC splits over zoning of house of Reps Speaker to South-West
The All Progressives Congress House of Representatives members - elect from six states in Southwest Nigeria has pledged to stand by the party’s decision on the House leadership structure.
Led by National Coordinator, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji - Ojo, Federal rep - elect from Ondo State, alongside Southwest Coordinator, Musliudeen Akinremi, the group said that the zone deserved the position of the Speaker.
They said as loyal party members, they had no objections to the party’s position on the selection of the house leadership.
Akinremi, the host lawmaker , who was flanked by James Owolabi (Ifako- Ijaye, Lagos state); Peter Owolabi (Ekiti North constituency 1); and Lanre Edun (Abeokuta South), spoke on behalf of the other lawmakers. He said, “We had a fruitful deliberation during the meeting which lasted over three hours.
“All of us agreed on the party’s supremacy and the need to rally support for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari administration when we are inaugurated in June this year.
“We all agreed to abide by the consensus arrangement of the party in choosing the house leadership. We pledged to protect the interest of the party , especially on the need to make APC stronger ahead of 2023 , in Yorubaland,” Akinremi told journalists.
However, in a swift reaction to the party's decision, the North- Central APC Young Patriots, a coalition of youth groups of the All Progressives Congress in the geopolitical zone, has vowed to resist zoning of the Speakership of the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly to the South West.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday at the Stone Edge Hotel, Abuja, the Convener, APC Young Patriot, Mr. Dominic Alancha, said though the party had yet to officially announce the zoning to the South West, it should not do so to avoid opposition to the party ’s candidate like in 2015.
Alancha said, “If the party goes ahead to zone the position of the Speaker to the South West because it wants to foist a particular candidate on lawmakers, disregarding popular support and equitable zoning formula, it will thereby be shortchanging the North Central of its hard- earned right which will be resisted by this group.
“One would expect that since the Senate presidency was zoned to the North East being the zone that contributed the highest number of votes after the North West, the speakership position will naturally go to the next in line, the North Central zone , which produced the second largest votes after the North East (2,465,599).
“So, why is the party suddenly shifting the goal post when it comes to zoning the Speakership position by considering the South West that performed less than the North Central and even already has the number two position of a Vice President? ls this an equitable thing to do?”
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