‘APC’s micro-zoning of National Assembly positions recipe for chaos’

The zoning of the presiding officers of the National Assembly to individuals married out by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a recipe for chaos, a youth forum within the party has said.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Forum of Zonal/State Youths Leaders of APC said the party seemed to be divided at present.

Reading the communiqué of the forum after a meeting, Comrade Terver Aginde, the North Central coordinator of the forum, said the party should allow members of the zones where positions are zoned to decide on the process and procedures.

The APC youths leaders also called on the party to rescind its decision on the suspension of both Governors Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun.

“We have examined both the various pre- and post-elections issues confronting our party and resolved to draw Mr President’s attention to the dangerous drift off the ship of the party, which if not urgently steered aright, may be heading for a precipice.

“Our goal is not to fight the system but to correct some ills within the system, shape the direction of the party and ensure a successful tenure of Mr President and all our elected party officials.

“We observed with great concern the recent suspension of some stakeholders of the party, including two outgoing governors who are also senators-elect and the retinue of court cases with significant judgements against the party, i.e. Rivers and Zamfara.

“The mishandling of these issues by the National Working Committee and other crises led to our electoral loss in the affected states, particularly in Imo, Bauchi, Adamawa and Oyo.

“Whilst we agree with the initiative to determine National Assembly leadership within defined parameters of zoning and ranking to ensure stability and discipline within the party, we must do so without undermining the independence of the legislature.

“We consider the micro-zoning as advance recipe for chaos mindful of the experience of 2015. It is anomalous to have made a pronouncement on the position of the Senate Presidency and Speakership of the House of Representatives to the exclusion of other positions and other zones,” the APC youth leaders said.