Lawmakers present at a meeting held by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday to discuss the party’s zoning conflict say the president declined to endorse any of the National Assembly leadership candidates.
The News Digest understands that certain groups in the APC are leveraging the hesitation of the President to sound support for candidates named by the National Working Committee to further their own agenda.
According to the meeting participants, the President was unequivocal that the zoning arrangement stands but made no mention of who should be supported for each position in his pitch.
A number of candidates for the leading positions in the 10th assembly now believe that the president is giving priority to the zones and not the nominees.
The News Digest reports that President Bola Tinubu is unconcerned about who wins the positions, but more so that a member of the party, rather than the opposition, wins both offices.
“He didn’t mention anybody’s name to be voted for. Maybe he is appealing, but I didn’t hear anybody’s name,” said Paul Nnamchi, member-elect of Enugu East/Isuizo federal constituency, said about Tinubu’s speech on Wednesday.
The President’s insistence on zone, not names implies that any candidate from the North-West, where the Speaker was allocated, can run against Hon. Tajudeen Abass, the National Working Committee’s preferred choice.
“That leaves Jaji, Soli and Abass—the three of them—to slug it out,” a source close to Jaji and Wase told Punch Newspapers.
“Prior to [Wednesday], there was a meeting of the aspirants with Tinubu at the State House. He was not categorical. What he told them there and then was that the zoning stands.
“But he did not say ‘support Abbas’ but he said ‘zoning of the party stands’,” the source disclosed further.
Many believe that if the President was especially interested in any candidate, he would have specified names, even though others say that “zoning of the party stands” encompasses every aspect of the nominations.
The seven aggrieved aspirants for Speaker are expected to present their consensus candidate this weekend to oppose Abass ahead of the 10th National Assembly’s inauguration next week.
Furthermore, Senator Osita Izunaso made it clear that he would not stand aside in favour of Senator Godswill Akpabio in the campaign for Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.
Initially, the NWC assigned the position to the South-South, making Mr Akpabio the favourite for the position, but Mr Izunaso maintains that he is also qualified because the criteria for selection is that a Christian emerges as Senate President.
“The President never told anyone to step down for anyone. He only made a case for a Christian as the Senate President, and this makes my boss more qualified,” said Kehinde Olaosebikan, the senator’s spokesperson.
