National Assembly: Bello, Lalong, others reject APC zoning template

Abubakar Bello, Governor of Niger State and other governors from the North-central geopolitical zone have rejected the zoning arrangement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 10^th National Assembly leadership.

The governors, who made the decision at a meeting in Abuja on Monday, also scheduled a meeting with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and the chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu.

There had been controversies since the APC micro-zoned the position of the Senate President to Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Jibrin Barau as Deputy Senate President while Honourable Tajudeen Abbas was anointed as the aspirant for the seat of the Speaker and Benjamin Kalu as Deputy Speaker.

At the meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governors said: “The North Central as a geopolitical zone is fully committed to supporting the incoming administration of the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a better Nigeria. And will do everything possible to ensure the Renewed Hope agenda is actualised for the prosperity of all Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Kalu, Yari, others join protest of APC NWC zoning decision, anointed candidates

“We reviewed the proposed zoning structure and promised to reach out to the President-elect His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC National Working Committee to appeal for reconsideration of the zoning of the Presiding offices of the National Assembly as released by the NWC.

“We raised reservations about the zoning formula released with the allocation of the Positions of the Deputy Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly to a particular geopolitical zone of the country.”

The governors also resolved and agreed to fully utilize all necessary dialogue and consultations to resolve the NASS leadership issue, agreeing to reach out to all major stakeholders for an amicable and acceptable zoning framework that will be all-inclusive.

Present at the meeting were Abubakar Bello, Governor of Niger State who is also the chairman; Simon Lalong, Governor, Plateau State; Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, Governor, Kwara State; Abdullahi Sule, Governor, Nasarawa State.

Others were Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia, Governor-elect, of Benue State.

Also present were aspirants for National Assembly presiding offices Idris Wase, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives; Senator Sani Musa and Honourable Yusuf Gagdi.