Senate Presidency: APC didn’t consult South East senators on zoning – Ubah

Ifeanyi Ubah, senator representing Anambra south, says the south-east caucus in the senate was sidelined by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in zoning leadership positions in the 10th red chamber.

Earlier on Monday, the APC nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, as president of senate in the 10th national assembly.

Akpabio is from Akwa Ibom, the south-south zone of the country.

The ruling party also chose Barau Jibrin, senator representing Kano north, as deputy senate president, and Abbas Tajudeen as the speaker of the house of representatives.

Benjamin Kalu was nominated as the deputy speaker.

On Sunday, the south-east caucus in the senate asked Bola Tinubu, president-elect, to ensure that the zone produces the next president of the red chamber.

Speaking on Monday in an interview with Channels Television, Ubah said the south-east would vie for the position of the next senate president despite APC’s zoning.

He stated that the south-east zone was being marginalised in the distribution of leadership positions in the country.

The federal lawmaker added that there are capable senators-elect from the south-east that can steer the affairs of the 10th national assembly.

“For me and our people from the south-east, we are still very strong in contesting for the office of the senate president of Nigeria for the 10th senate. That is our position for now,” he said.

“So, in the course of consultation, we would continue to update Nigerians about our position.

“But for now, I am still in this studio, the position of the south-east caucus is that we are going to contest for the office of the 10th senate president of Nigeria.

“The senate president should be zoned to the south-east or fairly zoned to the south.

“The only problem we are having is consultation. If there was a robust consultation among the people from the south by the ruling party, maybe we could have said we will give it back to the south-south

“But there was no consultation. It is like they are saying there is nothing you people can do.”

Ubah, who is a member of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), is expected to represent Anambra south in the 10th national assembly.