We’ll resist zoning of House speaker position to S’West – S’East APC youth group

John Ndu, Awka

The South East All Progressives Congress (APC) Young Progressive Forum, a coalition of youth groups of the APC in the South East geo-political zone, has vowed to resist the zoning of the speakership of the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly to the South West or any other zone.

Addressing journalists in Awka, the Anambra state capital, the Convener, APC Young Progressive Forum, Comrade Paschal Otimkpu, said though the party had yet to officially announce the zoning to the South West, it should not do so to avoid opposition to the party’s candidate like in 2015.

Comrade Paschal said “if the party goes ahead to zone the position of the House speaker to the South West or any other zone because it wants to foist a particular candidate on lawmakers, disregarding popular support and equitable zoning formula, it will thereby be short-changing the South East of its hard-earned right which will be resisted by this group and all members of APC in South East.”

The group maintained that political offices should be shared among geographical zones and people from different religious backgrounds, insisting that “since Mr. President is from the North and a Muslim and APC has adopted a senator from the North East who is also a Muslim. The group believes that the speaker should come from the South East and a Christian for that matter.

“One would expect that since the Senate Presidency was zoned to the North East being the zone that contributed the highest number of votes after the North West, the speakership position will naturally go to the next in line; the South East zone which is the most improved zone by comparative performance of the 2015 and 2019 elections.

“So, why is the party suddenly, shifting the goal post when it comes to zoning the speakership position by considering the South West that performed woefully in the 2019 election.

“This is so because of the number of senior ministers, infrastructural development that Mr. President sited in the South West and even already, has the number two position of a Vice President. Yet, the votes APC got from the South West reduced drastically compared with the 2015 elections. ls this an equitable thing to do; where is the justice which APC is known for?”

Comrade Paschal maintained that the South West cannot take Vice President office, holds four to five senior ministerial positions in this government and be expecting to get the speakership who is a Muslim at the same.

“How do we balance this in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state? the group asked.

The convener maintained that they are loyal party members who have invested so much time and resources in marketing APC in the South East, adding that “we do not want a new APC government in which the three arms of government will be led by people from the same religious background.

“We want an inclusive government where every tribe and religion will be accommodated which is in line with the stand of Mr. President and APC constitution.”

Also, the group believes that within the APC, the South East has ranking members from the zone who have held different positions in the National Assembly and have performed creditably well, adding however, that “we acknowledge the qualities of others from different zones seeking the same office, but equity and justice demands it goes to the South East zone.”

The group said they intend to meet with the APC national leadership, zonal level, all elected House of Representatives members from the zone and ministers from the zone to make their stand known.

They urged their leaders to speak out against this injustice being meted on the South East people by a cabal within the APC.