Eighteen former federal lawmakers from the South South Zone, on Sunday, backed the zoning of presiding offices of the 10th National Assembly recently made by the National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC had last week zoned the office of the Senate President to the South South and named former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as its candidate.
It also earmarked the office of Deputy Senate President for the North West Zone, with Senator, Barau Jibrin, as its standard bearer.
Also, the party said the North West would produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with Hon. Abass as its candidate and it named Hon Benjamin Kalu for the position of Deputy Speaker and high it zoned to the South East.
The 18 ex-lawmakers under the auspices of Forum of Former National Assembly Members South South Zone, made their position known at a press conference in Abuja.
Reading the text of the press conference, Hon.
John Halims Agoda, said the forum made the resolution after its meeting in in Abuja.
Apart from Agoda, other members of the forum at the briefing include Hon. Egberedin Donald, Engr Abubakar Momoh, Senator Clever Ikisikpo, Hon. Edet Etiebet, Hon. Abass Braimoh and Hon. Patrick Ikhariale, among others.
While commending the leadership of the APC for zoning the position of Senate President to the South South, it expressed optimism that the recent clarification by the party that it would make further consultations before its final decision on the zoning would enable other Senators-Elect from the zone interested in the position to contest the position.
The text of the press conference titled: “Our position on the zoning of principal offices in the 10th National Assembly” reads in part: “We, members of the above Forum, met on Friday, May 12th, 2023, at the National Assembly Quarters Apo, Abuja, to review issues affecting the election of presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly.
“The Forum commended the Nigerian people for voting massively for His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima, during the Presidential Election of February 25th, 2023.
“We also commend the people of the South-South geo-political Zone for electing more National Assembly Members on the platform of the APC and the people of Cross River State for electing a member of this Forum, His Excellency Senator Bassey Otu, as Govermor of the State.
“The Forum notes that it is the prerogative of Senators-elect of the National Assembly to choose their Presiding Officers to wit: President of the Senate, Deputy President of the Senate, and other Principal Officers.
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“The Forum further notes that unlike the House of Representatives where only ranking members can aspire to the Speakership and Deputy Speakership positions, ALL Senators-elect are qualified to contest for the offices of Senate President and Deputy Senate President.
“For the avoidance of doubt and purpose of clarity, the Senate rules, Order 3 sule(3)(a) state as follows: The election of the President of the Senate shall be conducted in the following manner:
“(a) A Senator-elect, addressing the Clerk, shall propose another Senator-elect to the Senate to be President of the Senate and shall move that such Senator-elect “Do take the Chair of the Senate as President of the Senate.” Another Senator-elect shall second the nomination.
“(b) A Senator-elect when nominated and seconded shall inform the Senate whether he or she accepts the nomination. He/She may then proceed to address the Senate.
“We further note the provision of Section 14 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which states: ‘The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of {its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or any of its agencies.’
“In compliance with this constitutional position, the country’s ethno-religious, cultural, and regional diversity and balance must be considered.
“In this context, the existing arrangement, whereby the office of the President of the Senate, the Deputy Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are rotated between Northern and Southern Nigeria, be strictly adhered to.
“We strongly commend, appreciate and applaud the leadership for zoning the Office of the Senate President to the South-South and urge that this zoning be sustained.
“The Forum notes that the leadership of the Party recently clarified that her earlier zoning of respective offices to geo-political zones and individuals will be reviewed subject to a wider consultation.
“This clarification has brought relief and succour to the people of the South-South Zone as it has opened the democratic space for the APC senators-elects from the Zone (seven number) who may wish to exercise their rights to contest for the Office of the Senate President, to do so without encumbrances.
“As former members of the National Assembly, we believe and demand that all persons elected as Principal Officers of the 10th National Assembly should be above board and people of integrity and without blemish.
“Once more, we reiterate our gratitude and support for the decision of the President-Elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and APC National leadership in zoning the Senate Presidency to the South-South.”