The Forum of National Assembly Legislative Aides from North West has called on Abdulaziz Yari, former Governor of Zamfara State and other contestants for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President positions to uphold the zoning arrangement. The aides of the lawmakers, in a press conference held at the National Assembly, urged the contestants to respect the zoning arrangement as it will ensure stability in the parliament.
The zonal leader of the forum, Abdulrazaq Dunkawa, and the secretary, Silas Gabriel Garba insisted that the National Working Committee of the ruling party picked Senator Godswill Akpabio from South-South as the Senate President with Senator Jibrin Barau from North West as the Deputy President of the Senate. Additionally, Tajudeen Abbas from North West and Hon Benjamin Kalu from South East were picked respectively as Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the zoning arrangement.
The Northwest, according to the group, deserves to have two presiding officers’ positions zoned to it, as it contributed the highest number of votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in both the Presidential and National Assembly Elections. The group highlighted that the results from the elections showed that North West’s support helped to keep the APC in power by securing the majority of members and distinguished senators in both chambers.
In conclusion, the aides urged other contestants for the 10th NASS leadership to allow for party supremacy, establish discipline, order and ensure the growth of legislative democracy. With the zoning arrangement, the group believes that the parliament would be more stable and represent the interest of different regions of Nigeria.
