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Fear of imposition sets National Assembly against APC leadership

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
08 May 2015   |   3:40 am
INCREASING fear among Senators-Elect that an attempt was being made to impose a Senate President is the cause of a brewing crisis between them and the leadership of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).
National assembly building

National assembly building

INCREASING fear among Senators-Elect that an attempt was being made to impose a Senate President is the cause of a brewing crisis between them and the leadership of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

The development has resulted into series of changes in the position of the party leaders regarding who should be the next Senate President. A committee set up by the APC leadership to consider suitable zoning arrangement for the National Assembly leadership positions had recommended that the North Central should produce the Senate President while the south was favoured to produce the speaker.

But all that soon changed when it was realised that the party leadership was targetting particular candidates. After series of wits games and protests by many caucuses within the party against alleged attempt to impose the candidates of some sections of the APC leadership, the party has now abandoned the zoning formula.

The development has tilted the game in favour of a group of protesting Senators-elect. Deputy Minority Leader Sen. Ahmed Sani, re-echoed the development on Wednesday when he said that the senators mighy defy the party if the Senate Presidency was not zoned correctly.

The former Zamfara State governor said in an interview that the national assembly is now made up of more independent minded individuals who hold national interests higher than party’s interest.

While recalling the election of Hon. Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker, he said that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not zone the seat correctly, the Senators may defy it and vote the right candidate. `

`Zoning is a party matter it is not a Senate matter, the senators can decide to vote for the best candidate that they think will lead them more properly and more efficiently. “

Party can make its zoning, if they don’t zone it correctly and it is not acceptable to the National Assembly members, they can decide to do election and elect the candidate they think will lead them properly,” he said. Reacting to the sudden spring-up of various caucuses driving diverse agenda on the issue of the presidency, Sani said that caucuses are normal in political parties and in other structures.

This fear of imposition is said to have made the national leadership of APC and the President -Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari to resolve to support popular candidates of the party for the offices of the Senate Presidency and the ‎Speaker of the House of Representatives.

A Senator said that former Kwara State governor, Bukola Saraki, might derive a natural political advantage from the protest.

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