The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday hinted that it might revisit its power sharing arrangement.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, expressed concern about Monday’s election of Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in defiance of the preference of the PDP and the Presidency for another federal lawmaker, Mrs. Mulikat Adeola-Akande.
Members of the House also unanimously elected Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, a PDP member from Imo State (South-East), as the deputy speaker.
The party had, last month, zoned the Senate presidency to the North-Central; deputy Senate presidency and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the South-East; speakership to the South-West; and deputy speakership and party chairmanship to the North-East.
The South-South got the presidency while the vice-presidency was zoned to the North-West.
The party had on more than three occasions met with its members elected to the House of Representatives and warned them against violating its zoning arrangement.
In spite of the warning and threats by the party that it would sanction errant members, the federal lawmakers elected on its platform, chose Tambuwal who is from Sokoto State in North-West.
The PDP, in the statement on Tuesday, said, “The National Working Committee notes, with great concern, the unfolding developments in the House of Representatives, especially the outcome of the election of principal officers on Monday.
“The NWC is currently consulting other organs of the party to re-assess the entire scenario and will come up with an appropriate policy in due course.”
The party explained that while it believes in, and “indeed encourages the exercise of freedom of choice for all Nigerians, including members of the National Assembly, it is important to reiterate that the principle of zoning is still an integral part of the PDP constitution.”
It added, “Zoning is a well thought-out philosophy for national stability and integration and the only guarantee that every segment of Nigeria enjoys a sense of belonging by being represented in all the decision making organs of the government of Nigeria.
It explained that before the election of principal officers of the Senate and the House, its NWC, in collaboration with other important organs of the party, “made spirited efforts to build a consensus around the zoning formula.”
Two zones — South-West and North-East — are therefore missing in the country’s power equation. The South-West could not get the speakership while deputy speakeship eluded the North-East.
There were, however, indications on Tuesday that the PDP might zone the position of its national chairman to the South-West.
Our correspondents learnt of this after the PDP NWC’s four-hour emergency meeting.
It was learnt that members of the NWC were disturbed that many of its members in the House backed Tambuwal and Ihedioha.
Investigations showed that the majority of the NWC members were particularly bitter that the South-West, which produced the second highest number of voters during the listing of electors in January, did not get anything in spite of its support for President Goodluck Jonathan during the presidential poll. An NWC member, who attended the meeting, spoke to one of correspondents on the condition of anonymity.
He stated that with the “damage” done to the party’s power sharing arrangement by the anti-zoning lawmakers, the PDP leadership was faced with the challenge of making far-reaching alterations to the arrangement.
He said the former arrangement, which distributed the President and national chairmanship of the party between the North and the South, would be readjusted.
He added that the meeting agreed that it would be reasonable for the South-West to move for the position of National Chairman of the PDP, in view of the fact that the Vice-President, Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are all from the North.
The NWC member said, “The South-West and the North-East are the two zones that were ‘injured’ by this arrangement. The beneficiaries are the South-East and the North-West.
“If the Speaker and the Senate President can come from the North, what is wrong with the national chairman coming from South?
“Something has happened. Everybody is hailing democracy, that it is a product of democracy, so good sense will have to come in; there have to be adjustments.
“You have to look at the South-West. In Nigeria, in terms of voting capacity, after the North-West, it is the South-West. So, we now have to weigh our options. Our options are the South-West and the North-East.”
“You have to weigh all your options and you have to look at the Nigeria from the North and the South
By Niyi Odebode and Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, expressed concern about Monday’s election of Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in defiance of the preference of the PDP and the Presidency for another federal lawmaker, Mrs. Mulikat Adeola-Akande.
Members of the House also unanimously elected Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, a PDP member from Imo State (South-East), as the deputy speaker.
The party had, last month, zoned the Senate presidency to the North-Central; deputy Senate presidency and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the South-East; speakership to the South-West; and deputy speakership and party chairmanship to the North-East.
The South-South got the presidency while the vice-presidency was zoned to the North-West.
The party had on more than three occasions met with its members elected to the House of Representatives and warned them against violating its zoning arrangement.
In spite of the warning and threats by the party that it would sanction errant members, the federal lawmakers elected on its platform, chose Tambuwal who is from Sokoto State in North-West.
The PDP, in the statement on Tuesday, said, “The National Working Committee notes, with great concern, the unfolding developments in the House of Representatives, especially the outcome of the election of principal officers on Monday.
“The NWC is currently consulting other organs of the party to re-assess the entire scenario and will come up with an appropriate policy in due course.”
The party explained that while it believes in, and “indeed encourages the exercise of freedom of choice for all Nigerians, including members of the National Assembly, it is important to reiterate that the principle of zoning is still an integral part of the PDP constitution.”
It added, “Zoning is a well thought-out philosophy for national stability and integration and the only guarantee that every segment of Nigeria enjoys a sense of belonging by being represented in all the decision making organs of the government of Nigeria.
It explained that before the election of principal officers of the Senate and the House, its NWC, in collaboration with other important organs of the party, “made spirited efforts to build a consensus around the zoning formula.”
Two zones — South-West and North-East — are therefore missing in the country’s power equation. The South-West could not get the speakership while deputy speakeship eluded the North-East.
There were, however, indications on Tuesday that the PDP might zone the position of its national chairman to the South-West.
Our correspondents learnt of this after the PDP NWC’s four-hour emergency meeting.
It was learnt that members of the NWC were disturbed that many of its members in the House backed Tambuwal and Ihedioha.
Investigations showed that the majority of the NWC members were particularly bitter that the South-West, which produced the second highest number of voters during the listing of electors in January, did not get anything in spite of its support for President Goodluck Jonathan during the presidential poll. An NWC member, who attended the meeting, spoke to one of correspondents on the condition of anonymity.
He stated that with the “damage” done to the party’s power sharing arrangement by the anti-zoning lawmakers, the PDP leadership was faced with the challenge of making far-reaching alterations to the arrangement.
He said the former arrangement, which distributed the President and national chairmanship of the party between the North and the South, would be readjusted.
He added that the meeting agreed that it would be reasonable for the South-West to move for the position of National Chairman of the PDP, in view of the fact that the Vice-President, Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are all from the North.
The NWC member said, “The South-West and the North-East are the two zones that were ‘injured’ by this arrangement. The beneficiaries are the South-East and the North-West.
“If the Speaker and the Senate President can come from the North, what is wrong with the national chairman coming from South?
“Something has happened. Everybody is hailing democracy, that it is a product of democracy, so good sense will have to come in; there have to be adjustments.
“You have to look at the South-West. In Nigeria, in terms of voting capacity, after the North-West, it is the South-West. So, we now have to weigh our options. Our options are the South-West and the North-East.”
“You have to weigh all your options and you have to look at the Nigeria from the North and the South
By Niyi Odebode and Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
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