As the race for key positions in the incoming 10th National Assembly heats up, a top leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Oloriegbe, has revealed that the party will reward regions that contributed a large number of votes during the general election in a variety of ways.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that Oloriegbe, the lawmaker representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, stated that elections have concluded and that he is confident that his party will reward zones at a later date.
He claims that his party will compensate regions for a strong showing in the polls in other ways, but he does not specify how.
The APC chieftain, while speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, submitted that;
The election is over, we have the leadership of the country to consider. There should be inclusiveness. Part of what the Constitution under Section 14 (4) tried to do is to be able to see that we stabilise this country through various means.
I think this will come in into play in terms of the thinking of the party. The essence of zoning is to be able to address the spirit of the constitution in terms of carrying everybody along. There are various ways through which the party will be able to reward the various segments that brought in votes.
Speaking further about the aspirants involved in the tussle for the principal position in the 10th NASS, he noted that “Not 70 per cent are new (members). 70 members are not members of the current 9th Assembly.
“They are not really new. For example, if you say Senator Akpabio is new to the 10th Assembly but not to the National Assembly.”
However, even before the ruling party’s decision on the zoning of National Assembly leadership positions, many groups argued that after Ahmad Lawan of Yobe State, a Christian southerner should be the next Senate President.