APC narrows senate presidency down to south-east and south-south but will let Tinubu decide

NIGERIA'S ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has zoned the senate president to either the south-south or southeast geo-political zones in the 10th National Assembly but is waiting on president-elect Bola Tinubu to return from holiday to make a final decision on the matter.

With Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the southwest elected as president and Senator Kashim Shettima from the northeast elected as vice president, the race for the senate president is open to candidates from all of the other four geo-political zones. Ranking senators from the northwest, south-south, southeast and north central geo-political zones are already positioning themselves for the coveted position of senate president, who is Nigeria's number three citizen.

Among those who have thrown their hats into the ring for the senate presidency are Senator Jubrin Barau of the Kano North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North Senatorial District and Senator Godswill Akpabio of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. Others are Senator Sani Musa of Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara West Senatorial District and Senator David Umahi of Ebonyi South Senatorial District.

Apparently, the APC leadership has worked out a zoning formula for the election of National Assembly presiding officers ahead of its inauguration in June. Party leaders are now awaiting the return of Asiwaju Tinubu, who is reconvalescing in Europe for a final decision on the matter.

One members of the party's national working committee (NWC), said: “The party has not been sleeping. consultations started before the governorship elections and a proposed template is ready and will be presented to the president-elect.”

He added that for the office of the senate president, the party is looking in the direction of south-south and South-east. Last month, Asiwaju Tinubu travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj from the UK and is said to be in Paris at the moment, where he is said to be holding consultative meetings on his proposed cabinet ahead of his inauguration on May 29.

Apparently, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the House of Representatives, joined him yesterday in France. They all broke the Ramadan fast together in the evening.

Following the February 25 National Assembly elections, the APC currently has 57 senators-elect, against 27 for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while the Labour Party has eight seats. The New Nigerian Peoples Party and the Social Democratic Party got two seats each while the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the Young Peoples Party won a seat each.

Eight senatorial elections have been declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission and are to be concluded on April 15, 2023. Jostling for the position of senate president in particular, has begin in earnest.