The Southeast caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has demanded a review of the zoning arrangement ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly.
The zone took the stand during a stakeholders meeting held in Enugu on Saturday.
The meeting presided over by the National Vice Chairman of the party, Southeast, Chief Emma Eneukwu, had in attendance minister of Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, his labour counterpart, Dr. Chris Ngige, former Gov. and senator-elect, Dr. Orji-Uzo Kalu, former minister, Chief Emeka Worgu, serving and incoming members of the National Assembly, among others.
In a 7-point communiqué issued after the meeting, they called on the national leadership of the party “to revisit the subsisting zoning of principal offices in the 9th National Assembly in a more equitable manner that will accord more deserving positions to the Southeast zone considering that the Federation of Nigeria rests on the six geopolitical zones of Southeast, South south, Southwest, North Central, North East and North West.”
The APC NWC had earlier zone the speakership of the House of Representatives to the Southeast and the Senate President to the Northeast, while Deputy Senate President goes to the South south, leaving out the Southeast.
But the zone has now kicked against the decision, calling for a review.
It urged the NWC “to draw strength from the need to utilize the zoning of principal offices in the 9th National Assembly to further deepen and strengthen the electoral appeal of the party, especially in parts of the country where it may be considered as weak.”
Consequently, a committee, chaired by the minister, Chief Ogonnaya Onu, who is the leader of the party in the zone, has been saddled with the responsibility of interfacing with the party hierarchy and party leaders in the other zones with a view to giving the Southeast a fair position in the National Assembly.
More to come…
