10th NASS: Two Governors, House Of Reps Official Linked With Picking Consensus Candidates

As the 10th National Assembly takes office next month, there are allegations that two governors and a sitting principal officer manipulated the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s leadership choices in the Senate and House of Representatives to favor their preferred candidates.

Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, announced the proposed Senate and House leadership on May 8.

Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Barau Jibrin, Tajudeen Abbas, and Benjamin Kalu have been appointed as Senate President and Deputy, as well as Speaker and Deputy, according to Morka.

Inside sources in Abuja who spoke to Saturday Sun claimed that the governors influenced the selection process in order to reward their preferred candidates for their contributions during the presidential election.

The chief executive, who is unlikely to return to the chamber, is also thought to have made certain that his preferred candidates were nominated.

According to a source who spoke with the platform, while there were calls for a candidate from the South East to be considered, the principal officer insisted that the candidate come from a specific state and member.

He has been accused of favoritism in promoting his preferred candidate’s qualifications and undermining Senator Orji Kalu’s chances for a leadership position in the 10th Senate.

Meanwhile, the G7, a group of House of Representatives speaker aspirants, has threatened to take action on Inauguration Day if the APC does not reconsider the zoning of leadership positions.

They warned that if the party does not address their concerns, a repeat of the ‘Dogara and Tambuwal’ scenario could occur.

In response to the criticism, a party insider revealed that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) met this week to re-examine the contentious zoning formula.

The source said;

All I know is that the NWC has met on the protests from those aspiring to leadership positions in the Senate and the House of Reps. They met this week and have reviewed the zoning list they released earlier.

The new report will be reviewed by party leaders and presented to the President-elect upon his return.

Only after the report is approved will the new zoning arrangement be released to the aspirants and the public.