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• Speaker may go to South South
By Sunday Ani
Most senators-elect are disposed to zoning the presidency to South East region, investigation has revealed.
Aside the incoming lawmakers, key leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) are rooting for the zoning of the office to South East to ensure political balancing, it was also learnt.
President-elect, Bola Tinubu, at the weekend, met with the incoming lawmakers in Abuja. Though details of the parley were not made public, it was understood that it was to foster a good relationship with the lawmakers.
Incumbent Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State,Orji Uzor Kalu, is leading in the race for the number three office. He enjoys the support of scores of the incoming lawmakers.
A source close to the president-elect said he is not opposed to the zoning of the Senate presidency to South East.
Another source said both the APC leaders and the president-elect may not opposed the speakership going to the South South zone.
A highly placed member of APC told Daily Sun that Tinubu is committed to running an inclusive government, hence wants the number three seat to be occupied by an Igbo to create the needed geopolitical balance in his administration.
The source said the president-elect is conscious of the mood in the country and would hit the ground running to unite all divides in Nigeria.
He said: “ Asiwaju is a nationalist who has friends among all ethnic nationalities. He is not oblivious of the mood in the country and would not waste time in taking decisions that would start a healing process. From information available to me, he would like the number three position to go to the South East.
“It is common knowledge the zone has suffered so much marginalisation, especially under the present administration, headed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Being who he is, Tinubu is a man committed to the unity of the country and he will do all within his powers to bring every part of the nation on board.”
Information available to Daily Sun showed that only two ranking senators from the South East, Kalu and Osita Izunaso, both of APC are qualified for the Senate president seat.
Kalu is a Nigerian politician and businessman who is the Senator currently representing Abia North. The business mogul who served as governor of Abia State from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007 is currently the chief whip of the Senate.
“Also, Izunaso was elected senator for the Imo West constituency of Imo State, in 2007 but lost his re-election bid in 2011 after his four years at the Senate.”
Meanwhile, the source also confirmed the president-elect is favourably disposed to the position of the speaker going to the North Central zone of the country.
“I can assure you Asiwaju government will be for all Nigerians. Every zone would have a sense of belonging,” he said.
