By Bukar Adi
Who could have predicted that sharing of leadership positions in the Legislature would turn out to be a big migraine for the All Progressives Congress (APC) so soon after a landslide victory in the general elections?
Uneasy, the popular saying goes, lies the head that wears the crown. It is true that success has so many fathers while no one wants to be associated with failure. That the APC did what has never been done in Nigeria, hitherto opposition, wresting power from the ruling party through peaceful means-the power of the thumb at elections-means that we can get things done the right way if we want to.
But managing that success would be tested in the days to come. Almost a month after conclusion of the National Assembly elections, the APC is yet to formulate its zoning formulae for leadership positions in the National Assembly where it swept away the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from power.
All eyes are now on the powerful National Executive Committee of the party; the only organ of the APC that can make a definite pronouncement on which zone will get what. Meanwhile, the party’s National Working Committee has been saddled with the responsibility of brainstorming on the zoning proposal which the body would present to the NEC for ratification. It is no mean task.
Reports in the media point in the direction of the North-central for either Senate presidency or Speaker, House of Representatives.
Many political watchers argued that bequeathing these exalted seats, especially Senate president, to the North-east would be giving too much to the North, which already has the Presidency.
The president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is from Katsina state in the North-west region.
It can be rightly argued, however, that the North has earned the right to the position, having delivered more seats in the legislature to APC. On the contrary, PDP lost most of its seats in the North, especially the North-central where it had relative control.
States like Kogi, Kwara, Benue and Nasarawa have now joined the APC train, shooting up the number of APC Senators to 60, while PDP has 48 seats. In the North-west, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano and Zamfara states also swelled the numbers of the party as well.
But the zone which has been consistent in producing the most legislators for the opposition (now ruling party come May 29), has been the North-east. Of the six-geopolitical zones, the North-east has been particularly short-changed in the power equation in the National Assembly in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th assemblies.
During President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure (1999- 2007), the North-west maintained a grip on the speaker’s office with Salisu Buhari, Ghali Na’Abba and Aminu Masari holding sway in succession.
After Obasanjo’s exit, the PDP zoned the position to South-west, leading to the emergence of Patricia Etteh and Dimeji Bankole, whose tenure ended in 2011. The grip of South-west was cut short following the revolt by members of the House against the zoning arrangement and subsequent election of Aminu Tambuwal as speaker of the House till date.
The North-east counted its losses in 2011 when contrary to the zoning arrangement that would have given it the deputy speaker slot, Hon Emeka Ihedioha from the South-east was elected instead alongside Tambuwal. The region was left with no principal office in both Senate and House of Representatives.
The deputy speaker is so far the highest position the North-east has occupied in the National Assembly since 1999. From 2007-2011, the region only produced former deputy speaker under Bankole, Usman Bayero Nafada, from Gombe state.
The zone is the third most populous in Nigeria after North-west and South-west, having the highest number of minority tribes who have always been schemed out and marginalised in the country’s power sharing arrangement. It is also contending with the devastating effect of Boko Haram insurgency, hence the need for its leaders to be rightly positioned to bring the much-needed rehabilitation to the region.
The states of Borno and Yobe have especially been consistent since 1999 in keeping the opposition strong in the National Assembly. The zone also has the most ranking members in the National Assembly, making it the most qualified to produce the next president of the Senate, according to the Rules of the red chamber.
In the last presidential and National Assembly elections, North-east produced the second highest number of votes for APC and second highest number of federal lawmakers for the party.
It has been reported that the APC’s NWC is favourably disposed to zoning the Senate president to North-central but that would be against the principle of justice and fairness.
In the March 28 National Assembly poll, North-central produced 13 senators while North-east elected 14 senators. Out of the 13 senators from North-central, only six are ranking while North-east has seven ranking senators.
Moreover, since North-central has been in the saddle since 2007, with David Mark completing his second term as Senate president, it is time to look elsewhere and, in the spirit of cohesion and unity, zone the post to North-east which has been left out in the cold since 2007.
Already, interested senators have commenced lobbying of the national leadership of the APC and are demanding that the choice of Senate president be in line with the Senate Standing Rules (2011, as amended).
The Senate rules, which applied in June 2011 when Mark was re-elected Senate president, gives preference to any serving senator who is re-elected to the chamber. Based on the ranking rule, the North-east caucus has tipped Senator Ahmad Lawan for Senate president. Lawan was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1999 where he served two terms. In 2007, he was elected to the Senate and was re-elected for a third term on March 28.
Bukar wrote from Bauchi