Despite denial by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that it has not decided on who gets what post in the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja is awash with the talk that the North will get the Senate presidency and the South South the House speakership.
South West lawmakers are headed for a row with those from the North East in the power configuration.
Sources in the APC, which has a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, confirmed that a foundation for the clash of interests was laid at a caucus meeting on power sharing formula last week.
Speakership contenders
Those gunning for the speakership include Finance Committee Chairman, Abdulmumin Jibrin (North West); Agriculture Committee Chairman, Mohammed Monguno (North East); and House Services Committee Chairman, Yakubu Dogara (North East)
They also include Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (South West); Sunday Adepoju (South West); Mojeed Alabi (South West); Israel Famurewa (South West); and Pally Iriase (South South).
Dogara was among the first set of 37 members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2013.
Jibrin wants the APC to jettison zoning and emphasise merit, continuity, and necessity among other criteria for electing the speaker.
He promised to overhaul the operations of the House, which “moves at snail speed,” and “we will engage the executive constructively and mitigate friction between the executive and the legislature.”
Dogara, Northern choice
However, the North West caucus, instead of supporting Jibrin, is tilting towards Dogara.
A member of the caucus, Nasiru Baballela, said the North West would soon endorse Dogara, being the choice of the majority of the members.
Another member of the caucus, H. Ila, issued a statement saying, Dogara “is the most qualified and fitted for the position of speaker and he is humble, intelligent and calm. These are qualities of good leadership.
“We in the House believe in consolidation. The current leadership of Aminu Tambuwal has stabilised the House and gave it a name.
“We cannot afford to go back on this, and that is why we must ensure that only people of like minds such as Dogara are elected into leadership positions in the eighth Assembly.
“Electing Dogara as speaker will go long way in uniting the people of Northern Nigeria who are of different ethnic groups and religions. We want to make sure that we go back to the good old days when we coexisted as one people in the North in the days of our forefathers.
“The late Sardauna of Sokoto (Ahmadu Bello) of blessed memory united the North as one indivisible entity and since his demise we have not been able to continue on that noble path.
“Now, history beckons, and a golden opportunity is in our hands to correct the many wrongs of the past by electing someone with impeccable character and proven integrity as our speaker.
“Electing a Northern Christian as speaker will give a sense of belonging to our Christian brethren that we are one people and they too can become anything in a united Nigeria.
“More than ever before, our people have been divided along ethnic and religious lines. We must correct this.”
But Adepoju advocated that, for equitable distribution of posts, the Senate presidency should be zoned to the North and the House speakership to the South.
In his view, the zoning arrangement would only reflect the federal character principle in the Constitution.
He said the speakership should be given to the South South, but if the APC decides to zone it to the South West, he would be interested.
Sources in the APC leadership confirmed that the leadership is holding consultations on power sharing without short-changing any zone and interests that formed the party.
Some lawmakers insisted that the House, as an independent body, would choose its leaders based on experience and leadership qualities irrespective of region or state of origin.
However, the APC has reportedly zoned the post of speaker to the North East and deputy speaker to the South South.
Gemade backs Akume
Senate National Planning Committee Chairman, Barnabas Gemade, threw his weight behind George Akume to become Senate President.
Gemade, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman who defected to the APC ahead the election, denied in a statement the rumour that he does not support Akume.
“My attention has been drawn to the mischievous and unfounded rumour on cyberspace and some newspapers circulating within Benue State, that I am not in support of Akume’s candidature for the office of Senate president.
“This is no doubt the handiwork of our political opponents, who suffered defeat at the just concluded elections and can’t seem to get over it, that are now bent on sowing a seed of discord in our party,” he said.
