Akeredolu Knocks APC Over Zoning Formula

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and the Governor of Ondo State, has expressed strong disapproval of the zoning arrangement put forth by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the selection of principal officers in the 10th National Assembly. The decision made by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has stirred controversy and raised concerns about the party’s commitment to fairness and inclusivity.

Zoning Positions and Party Resolution

According to reports, the APC NWC has allocated the position of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly to the South-south region, while the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives has been designated for the North-west region.

This resolution was reached during a meeting held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

Reacting, in a statement, Akeredolu said, “It is trite to aver, that, it stands logic on the head that one geo-political zone, North-west in this regard, will be favoured with two presiding officers positions out of four while North-Central suffers the consequences for its innocence and shrewd loyalty by having none.

“It is an insidious permutation that North-East will be deprived in the face of the unsavory generosity dispensed through two slots to a particular geo-political zone. It is self-repudiating for one to argue, therefore, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot also emerge from the North-east.

“Therefore, the move to zone the National Assembly leadership positions on the behest of interested personalities with perceived closeness to the President-elect as manifesting, lays the dangerous foundation of distrust, needless suspicion even as it structures nothing but a combination of booby traps. We must avoid all these.

“Let the North play a stronger, more robust and all-inclusive role in the emergence of the positions zoned to the region, especially the Speakership. Furthermore, it strikes a huge ingratitude that the role of the Progressive Governors Forum appears unimportant. As leaders of the party in their respective states, there cannot be a greater disservice to them that a consensus was yet to be reached when the NWC hurriedly released a dangerous tool for the opposition in the guise of a zoning formula. To me, even on this note, it’s unacceptable.

“Does it not also exude a serious discomfort that the aspirants to the speakership were not consulted, approached, and effectively engaged before the purported zoning formula? It does, and clearly so.

“It is in this regard that I salute the courage of the speakership aspirants for their show of solidarity, companionship, and applaudable love for the party in their rejection, resentment and objection to the brazenly teleguided zoning arrangement that is skewed and targeted against some zones and identified individuals. Their action is commendable just as they are urged to ensure they pursue this to a logical conclusion.”

The governor, who rejected the zoning formula, said the move was an unworkable arrangement that reinforces “injustice and enhances inequity”.

“I call on the NWC of our great party to follow the path of purity and justice. It is perhaps expedient that Mr. President-elect interrogates this skewed arrangement and gives direction that reflects our collective commitment to equality and fairness.

“In this particular case, and for the purpose of avoiding a repeat of untoward situations, it is advised that the APC NWC immediately summons the National Executive Committee after robust National Caucus/Stakeholders parley to agree on terms that would strengthen our great party,” he said.