Members of the House of Representatives elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North Central zone, have canvassed for the position of House Speaker in the incoming 9th Assembly.
Spokesman of the group, John Dyegh (APC), who disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing newsmen in Abuja, said the demand was in the spirit of “equity, balance, geopolitical spread and federal character.”
“It is in this regard that we humbly appeal to our party, the APC, to strongly consider the North Central for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.
“Zoning the Speaker to North Central will satisfy and advance the cause of equity since the North West and South West already have the presidency and vice presidency respectively.
“Apart from the North West and North East, the North Central delivered handsomely for the party in the general elections, and should be rewarded for hard work and loyalty,” Dyegh said on behalf of other lawmakers.
He argued that considering the North Central for the position of Speaker would also ensure power balance and spread among the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
He added that the zone, with its delicate and peculiar challenges within the Nigerian federation, is best suited for the position of Speaker, as it would help to stabilize the polity.
The lawmaker further contended that it was for such matters that the federal character principle is enshrined in Section 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), to ensure a sense of belonging among the federating units.
Dyegh recalled the unfortunate events that attended the emergence of the leadership of the 8th Assembly, urging the APC leadership to avoid a repeat of such pitfalls in order to ensure harmony, peace and stability in the 9th House.
