As the race for Speaker of House of Representatives gathers momentum, the six geo-political zones are locked in scheming. Key political players in the regions anticipate the release of the zoning formula by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and even other mushroom parties are also maintaining keen interest in the unfolding developments.
There are two puzzles: which zone will produce the number four citizen? Who will be the next Speaker?
During the week, intense lobbying continued, following the return of President-elect Bola Tinubu to the country after his 34-day vacation in France. Northcentral aspirants for the vice chairman of the National Assembly and other stakeholders are intensifying consultations and mobilisation ahead of the contest.
Lawmakers from Northcentral in the race are Tunji Raheem ( Kwara), Idris Wase ( Plateau) and Yusuf Gagdi (Plateau).
The three of them believe that APC should stick to the principles of equity, fairness and justice by zoning the position to the region.
To the Gagdi campaign organisation, if the slot is zoned to Northcentral, it will be a reward for loyalty, steadfastness, commitment of the APC faithful across the six states constituting the region.
So far, none of the aspirants have approached the contest as a ‘do-or-die.’ They are pushing for zoning with justification. However, they are prepared to toe the party line when the final decision is taken. None of them is also disposed to instigating opposition onslaught in the Lower Chamber in protest against whatever decision that is taken by the ruling party because they are disciplined party stalwarts.
In the annals of Nigeria’s legislature, out of the zones that have occupied the seat of Speaker, the Northcentral has had the shortest stint, only for three months. All the other zones, excluding the Southsouth, have held it for many years.
The only time the Northcentral held it was in 1983, when the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari won a second term and late Akkai Chaha Biam from Benue State was elected Speaker. He erved from October to December of 1983 before the military sacked the civilian government.
In the First Republic, Chief Jaja Wachukwu from the Southeast became the first indigenous Speaker, shortly before independence in 1959. He handed over to the venerable politician, Ibrahim Jalo Waziri from the region now known as Northeast in 1960.
Also, in 1979, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke of the defunct Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) from the Southeast steered the ship of the House between 1979 to 1983. The Ibrahim Babangida military administration inaugurated a federal legislature that as shortlived. The Southeast took the slot of Speaker. Agunwa Anaekwe from Anambra served as Speaker between 1992 and 1993. Thus, the Southeast has held the position thrice.
From 1999 to 2007, the position was zoned to the Northwest with Salisu Buhari, Ghali Na’aba and Aminu Masari holding sway.
Between 2007 to 2011, the Southwest enjoyed the slot when Dimeji Bankole and Patricia Olubunmi Etteh served as Speakers.
Between 2011 to 2015, Aminu Tambuwal, outgoing governor of Sokoto State in the Northwest presided over the House. Also, Yakubu Dogara, a lawyer from the Northeast state of Bauchi, presided over the House between 2015 and 2019.
According to Nothcentral stakeholders, the region contributed immensely to the victory of the APC during the presidential and National Assembly elections. Infact, the APC won four of the six states of the Northcentral. The zone gave Asiwaju Bola Tinubu 1, 670, 091, more than what he got from the North East (1, 190, 458). The party lost in the Northwest states of Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto.
A Kwara politician, justified the push for zoning to thr Northcentral, said said it is in tandem with Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which supports the cause of equity, justice and fairness.
Alluding to the provision, he said: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies shall be carried out in a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few ethnic or sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies, in order to command loyalty and peaceful coexistence”.
He added:”It is against this backdrop that the Northcentral should be considered. The APC leadership should redirect its attention to the North Central instead. Zoning the position to the zone is germane for national cohesion, unity and development.”
A party source, who reflected on the agitation by the Northcentral, said if the regional stakeholders present a joint candidate that is sellable and they lobby effectively the key organs of the ruling party, including the National Party Caucus, the President-elect, National Working Committee (NWC) and other influential party leaders, their case will become stronger and the pendulum of zoning may swing to the region.
