Crisis looms in APC as group vows to resist zoning of Speaker

A group in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) the North-Central APC Young Patriots, has vowed to resist any attempt by the leadership of the party to zone the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Southwest geopolitical zone.

The group, a coalition of youth groups of the party in the North Central, stated this at a press conference on Saturday in Abuja.

The Convener of the group, 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 short changing 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?”