There are indications that the South-East geopolitical zone might be sidelined in the zoning formula of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as regards the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Investigations revealed that the plan to sideline the zone was an idea mooted by former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in his quest to ensure that he installs Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the House of Representatives at all cost.
The source disclosed that apart from backing Ogbeh for the position, the decision is borne out of the grand plan to stop Senator Bukola Saraki’s near-success campaign to succeed Senator David Mark as the next President of Senate.
“The game plan is to block Saraki’s chances and ensure that the South West gets the position of Speaker of House of Representatives this time around. The Tinubu camp believes that given the role they played in the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as presidential candidate of APC and president-elect, it would be politically unwise not to produce one of the leaders of the two-chamber National Assembly,” he explained.
The Tinubu camp reportedly argued that giving the post of SGF to the South East would amount to “rewarding an absentee candidate with high marks”.
As the race for Senate President gathers momentum, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has expressed “total and unreserved support” for Senator Ahmed Lawan’s aspirations to clinch the position.
In a statement in Damaturu, the state capital, yesterday, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Affairs and Information, Abdullahi Bego, said:
“Governor Gaidam believes strongly that at this pivotal moment in our nation’s history when the entire country is mobilized for positive change, the Senate needs a leader who has the requisite experience, knowledge and network to organise and bring fellow senators around the issues that are uppermost in the minds of all Nigerians – security, jobs, education, quality healthcare, electric power supply, among others.
Meanwhile, Senator Ngige recently denied the reports making the round that the issue of power sharing was threatening the stability of the APC in the South-East.
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