9th House of Reps: North Central lobbies for Speaker

A group under the aegis of North Central Progressive Forum, (NCPF) on Wednesday, appealed to leadership of the All Progressives Party (APC) to consider zoning the speakership position for the 9th House of Representatives to their region.

It said this became imperative as the region has never produced speaker or deputy speakership positions in the Nigeria democratic dispensation.

The group in a press briefing jointly addressed by its National Coordinator, Godwin Meliga and National Secretary, Abbah Emmanuel in Abuja stressed that the North Central occupies a sensitive place in not only the geographical division of the country, but also a critical political status.

As a result, the National Coordinator, Meliga stressed that the region rightly deserves a special political status and consideration, in major national political discourse and decisions.

“We have borne it upon ourselves to express to the whole world the political injustice that has been meted out against the people of this zone, even in the ongoing political calculations and scheming happening in the ranks and files of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It requires no further political clarification to assert that the North Central Nigeria occupies a sensitive place in not only the geographical division of the country, but also a critical political status, comprising the following states; Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory. This logically places the zone on the same number of states as the North West zone, at seven states, with the inclusion of the Federal Capital Territory.”

“It will therefore not anything close to being a misnomer or economical with the truth, if one could affirm that the North Central zone rightly deserves a special political status and consideration, in major national political discourse and decisions,” he said.

While presenting Mohammed Umaru Bago as its speakership candidate for the region, the group’s Secretary, Mr.Abbah said the zone has relinquished the position of the Senate President, in strong support of a fair rotation policy.

However, he said it would rather be ‘betrayed’ If the ruling party failed to consider and rightfully support the Speaker of the House from the North Central zone.

To this end, the duo urged the President Muhammadu Buhari to uphold the principle of natural justice and give due support to the call for an end to political injustice against the region.

ALSO READ: 9th Senate: Senator Gaya eyes Ekweremadu’s position

“Mr. President, as a man who profess and uphold high integrity, should prove once more his unbroken commitment to the common benefit of all Nigerians, by recognising that it will be least unfair and politically incalculable, to say the least, that a North Central zone that produced the third highest votes for the President’s reelection, with almost 2.5 million votes, winning an additional state for the APC, with many more Senators and House of Representatives Members, will again be denied the right of producing the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, in favour of a zone that already has the Vice President and also delivered a lesser number of votes compared to North Central zone.”

“Therefore, as the 9th Assembly is billed to be inaugurated by June, with all permutations playing out, the leadership of the North Central Progressive Forum uses this medium to call on all House of Representatives Members-elect, the leadership of APC and the Presidency to tow the path of honour and duly give regard to the North Central zone, if they truly believe in the overwhelming support of our people.”

“We therefore call on all Nigerians, the 9th House of Representatives Members-elect and the leadership of all the political parties in the House to give him the maximum support. A support for Hon. Bago is a support for the North Central, justice and fairness,” Abbah added.