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9th National Assembly: Youth Council wants Speaker from South East
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to review its zoning formula for the leadership of the 9th National Assembly.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to review its zoning formula for the leadership of the 9th National Assembly.
In a communique issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the Deputy President of the Council, Innocent Nduanya the group said that the zoning did not reflect the unity which President Muhammadu Buhari preaches.
According to Nduanya, going by the ethnicity of persons who have been drafted to occupy certain key position in the next dispensation, it was only fair and equitable that the Speakership be occupied by someone from the South East.
The Youth Council’s deputy president specifically called for the party to support Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba for speakership to create an ethnic and religious balance of power.
The group observed with displeasure that the first term of the Buhari’s administration would have achieved better successes but for the dispute with the National Assembly occasioned by poor zoning of the positions.
“We also recall that national political stability was strained over perceived lopsidedness in the zoning of offices of government and appointments contributing to limiting the effectiveness of many good policies,
“With this in mind, the NYCN believes that with the renewed mandate, PMB and APC have the opportunity to correct the pitfalls of the past four years.
“The NYCN believes that this is the time to plan for the equitable allocation of offices and this begins with the current jostling for the remaining constitutional positions of leadership.
“Having settled that of the President (North West), Vice President (South West), the CJN by succession rules will go to the North East, the four remaining Constitutional offices of the legislature are the only available avenues for inclusivity,” he said.
Nduanya stressed that zoning formula was drawn up with criteria such as: longest serving, longer as party members, arguing that Hon. Nwajiuba also had those qualities.
The NYCN added that the South Eastern Lawmaker was a Buharist and a long suffering party member right from the days of the CPC-ACN merger.
“With this in in mind and to correct the impression of exclusion and marginalization, Rt. Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba perfectly fits the criteria for speakership of the House of Representatives,” he said.
Also speaking during the briefing and issuance of communiqué, the FCT Chairman of the Council Ango Abdullahi said that the FCT youths were in support of a balanced Nigeria.
He said that a Nigeria where all will be fair, equal will be a better Nigeria, adding that FCT indigenous people still remained marginalized as they were not represented at FEC meetings or in federal appointments.
