10th NASS: Tinubu’s Absence Stalls Zoning Of Position – APC NWC Member

The absence of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu in the country is stalling the zoning of key positions in the 10th National Assembly. A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress disclosed that there may be an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) upon Tinubu’s return to the country.

The APC chieftain who spoke with Saturday Sun said key decisions will be taken in the meeting. Speaking on the race for the position of Senate President, the APC chieftain said the race has been narrowed to the Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

He further stated that Tinubu’s men are already short-listing names of possible candidates for the top National Assembly positions, but added that no decision has been taken yet. The NWC member said, “Those names people are circulating as having been endorsed are false. APC and Tinubu are yet to take a position on the issue of zoning. That will be done as soon as Tinubu returns from Europe and Saudi Arabia.

“To be frank, I don’t know who will be endorsed. But I know that the race is between Kalu and Akpabio. Every other contender is pretending and they know it.” He added that more people, however, favour South East in the calculation since the zone in the 9th Assembly does not occupy any presiding office. The APC chieftain said there is talk about giving the South East a sense of belonging, as a measure of goodwill.

He revealed that instead of employing President Muhammadu Buhari’s method of excluding the South East, the incoming Tinubu government may rather embrace them. The source added, “South East is tops in the thinking. Many people are favourably disposed to wooing the zone. We suspect that if the region is fully integrated, APC could gain more ground there and win more parliamentary and governorship seats in the coming years.”

 

Source: The SUN/Naija News

 

 

No cause for alarm over call for interim govt – APC

The All Progressives Congress said on Friday that the debate on alleged attempt to foist an interim government on the country would not disrupt the handover of government to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on May 29. The Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council and the leadership of the ruling party also dismissed report that the alleged plot had unsettled their camp.

The APC explained that it had played its part by bringing such threat to the knowledge of security agencies, adding that there was no cause for alarm. National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, said there was no reason to fret as long as the law enforcement agents did their job.

He said, “I don’t see how the talks about interim government would disrupt the handover to Asiwaju. The step that the party has taken is to bring the threat to the attention of the security agencies and the public.

“As you can see, the DSS has since begun to look at the actors and the plot going on. Now, that is their responsibility. They have a role to ensure that there is no breach and to ensure that everyone involved will take whatever grievances they have to the court.

“The police, DSS and other law enforcement agencies are within their authorities to ensure there is peace and to defeat any plot by individuals or groups to destabilise the country.”

Challenging the DSS to clamp down on the proponents of interim government, the APC PCC stated that nobody in its camp was nursing fear that the plotters might spring any surprise on or before the May 29 inauguration of the president-elect.

Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the Director of Media and Publicity for the APC PCC, Bayo Onanuga, debunked speculation that Tinubu’s camp was in disarray over fear that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) would not hand over on May 29.

He said, “Everybody heard the President say he will hand over on May 29 to the winner of the election. All these talks about ING are just a useless debate. It is of no meaning to us because we have the certificate of return and Asiwaju will be sworn in as the 16th president of Nigeria.

 

Source: Punch