Group to APC leadership: ensure fairness in zoning National Assembly’s positions

THE leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been urged to be guided by fairness and justice in the zoning of leadership positions in the Ninth National Assembly.

Justice Advocacy Group said fairness on the path of the party’s leadership would ensure that each geopolitical zone is rewarded in accordance with its contribution to the just concluded general elections.

The advocacy group also suggested that the consideration of all regions would eliminate a repeat of the situation that led to the relegation of party supremacy to the background by certain lawmakers that contributed largely to a frosty relationship between the executive and the Eighth National Assembly.

In a statement yesterday by its coordinator,  Akintunde Lawal, the group noted that such nationalistic stance on fairness and equity in the distribution of resources of the people is strongly supported by the nation’s constitution as well as APC’s constitution.

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The statement reads: “Now that APC has won the elections, the critical issues should be how the APC will deliver to the electorates the dividends of democracy.

“So, what the party leaders need to do is to allocate key offices to  respect geopolitical sensitivity and standing among geopolitical zones.

“We should guide against the crisis that characterised the eighth assembly.

“The incoming Nigerian  legislature  cannot afford any  unnecessary feisty political relationship with the executive and to forestall this, the APC leadership must do what is right.

“There must be justice and fairness as enshrined in the constitution  of  the party and Nigerian constitution”

“As it is now, the North West has the President while the South West has the Vice President and the National Leader of the APC leaving Four Zones  bare.

“So, it is incumbent on the party to reflect political balancing in considering the leadership of the Ninth Assembly”.

Saying that all the zones must be considered on the basis of equity as enshrined in the APC constitution, the group noted that such decision would also be in support of the nation’s constitution.

“Nigerian Constitution 1999 Sections 14 (1c),3 and 4 and the APC Constitution as amended in Article 7 (i),(ii), (ix) and  (xii) made this clear and doing otherwise would be courting crisis in the coming Assembly.

“Ceding the positions to the appropriate zones would not amount to sacrificing competence but strengthening the foundation of democracy in the country.

“It is important that every geopolitical zone in the country has a sense of belonging, also recognises the number of votes and therefore, every zone must be recognised on the basis of their contributions to the party.

“In the just concluded presidential election the Northwest APC comprising seven states produced 5,995,651 representing 72.45 per cent  of the votes cast; Northeast, comprising six states produced 3,238,783, votes representing 74.36 per cent; Northcentral, comprising six states produced 2,465,599 votes, representing 54.92 per cent; Southwest comprising six states produced 2,036,450 votes, representing 53.41 per cent; Southeast comprising five states produced 403, 968 votes, representing 19.26 per cent and Southsouth, comprising six states, produced 1,051,396 votes, representing 32.01 per cent.

“If APC goes to the contest (i.e election of principal officers in the National Assembly) with a divided house, it will be detrimental  not only to the party but the Ninth Assembly.

“It must be noted that a divided APC will be very vulnerable  and the  opposition parties can spring surprises during the elections yet again, suggesting  that the APC would not have allowed experience to be the best teacher.

“President Buhari and the leadership of the party will do well to consider the implications of a repeat of the scenario of the last four years.

“Nigerians are watching,” the group added.