It was gathered that the parties also want to use the zoning arrangement to woo the respective zones in the coming elections.
Chukwudi Nweje
Barely
one and half months to the elections, members of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) are striving to perfect their zoning arrangements for some key
positions in expected next government.The presidential and
National Assembly elections hold on February 16, while the governorship
and state Houses of Assembly polls come up two weeks after, on March 2.Daily
Sun gathered that members of the APC and PDP are pushing for some
offices to be zoned, so that each geopolitical zones in the country
would know what to benefit from the incoming Federal Government from May
29, 2019.Sources revealed that with the presidential and vice
presidential candidates of the APC and the PDP already known, as well as
the national chairmen of the parties, members want to know where the
Senate president, deputy Senate president, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, deputy Speaker and the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation (SGF) would come from.Already in APC, the North
West has got presidential candidate in President Muhammadu Buhari from
Katsina State. The South West has vice presidential candidate, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo, from Ogun State and South South, national chairman in the
person of Adams Oshiomhole from Edo State.In PDP, the North East
has produced presidential candidate with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from
Adamawa State. South East got vice presidential candidate in the person
of former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, while the South
South occupies the position of national chairman with Prince Uche
Secondus from Rivers State.Sources revealed that APC members are
rooting for the North Central or the South East to produce the Senate
president, while the SGF be zoned to the North East, as present.It
was gathered that the fate of the South East, with regards to Senate
presidency in APC depends on the zone producing senators in the
elections. This, sources revealed, is why the North Central is also
penciled down for the position, also, depending on whether senators
would come form the zone.In the PDP, sources revealed that the
consideration is the zoning of the Senate president to North Central,
which was part of the concession given to current occupier of the
position, Senator Bukola Saraki. The post of SGF is being considered for
the South West.Daily Sun gathered that for the Speaker, House
of Representatives, the APC is looking at conceding it to South South,
while deputy speaker will go to North East. Also, the party is
considering zoning deputy Senate president to South West.In PDP,
Speaker, House of Representatives is being considered for North West,
while deputy speaker is penciled down for South West. Deputy Senate
president is for South South.Sources close to APC and PDP said
the parties are planning to zone the offices in such a way to give all
the geopolitical zones a sense of belonging.It was gathered that the parties also want to use the zoning arrangement to woo the respective zones in the coming elections.
Since
the coming of the current democratic dispensation, zoning of offices
has been adopted by the parties. In 1999, the PDP zoned the office of
president to South West, while vice president was zone to North East.
South East occupied Senate president’s office, with North Central
getting deputy Senate president. Speaker of the House of Representatives
was zoned to North West and Deputy Speaker to South South.In
2003, South West produced president, with North East still producing
vice president. South East produced Senate president, while North West
got Speaker House of Representatives.In 2007, the North West
produced the president, with South South getting vice president. North
Central produced Senate president and South East deputy Senate
president. Speaker of the House of Representatives was zoned to South
West.In 2015, South South produced the president, with North
West getting vice president. North Central produced Senate president and
South East deputy Senate president. North West got speaker, House of
Representatives by default, with South East producing deputy Speaker
also by default.In the current government, North West has
president, with South West producing vice president. North Central is
occupying the position of Senate president, by default, with South East
getting deputy Senate president, also, by default. North West is
occupying the post of Speaker, House of Representatives, also, by
default.
Source:- Sunnewsonline
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