Kwara speakership: APC group advises against zoning arrangement

All Progressives Congress (APC) Formidable Group in Kwara state has advised the party leadership against the use of zoning arrangement for electing next speaker of the ninth state Assembly.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, chairman of the group, Mr Shitta Adegbola, said that instead, the party should consider competence and experience.

The group, with membership across the state, said that there is a need for strategic people in strategic positions in every government to ensure good governance.

Comrade Adegbola said factors of experience and competence, legislative rule and sacrifice should be considered for the next speaker of the state instead of zoning arrangement.

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“We believe in sacrifice; the person that should be the next speaker must have been part of the struggle. We find Hon. Saheed Popoola as the most suitable now. He possesses the requisite experience having served as secretary of Offa local government area, graduating to become chairman of the same council. He was also a commissioner in the state and now a current member of the outgoing eighth Assembly.

“His contributions to the success of APC as it is today are enormous. For him to have dropped his ambition to become a member of the House of Representatives is another sacrifice. He accepted the offer of going back to the state House of Assembly with the belief that he would be compensated there.

“Besides, he is the only returnee legislator to the Ninth Assembly, all others are freshers. He is well qualified for the office regardless of whether he hails from Kwara South or not. We urge the party leadership to handle the issue diligently and tactfully. But we believe that authority belongs to God Almighty”, he said.