Newly elected lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) gathered in Abuja on Monday and announced that the party would zone principal offices only after the governorship elections on Saturday, March 18. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, along with other lawmakers‑elect, relayed this to our correspondent following a meeting with Senators‑elect, House members‑elect, and party leadership at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
The meeting, held barely two weeks after the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, was the first gathering of the newly elected parliamentarians with the APC. It came amid widespread speculation that the party might swiftly zone leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly to avoid a repeat of the 2015 scenario, when the APC lost control of the legislature despite holding the most seats in both chambers. However, Gbajabiamila clarified that the discussion did not cover NASS leadership because the elections were still ongoing. He explained, “We did not talk about zoning because we’re not there yet. We have an election this weekend, and we need everyone to focus on campaigning and securing victory before we consider the Assembly’s leadership. We agreed to wait until the elections are concluded.”
Senator Mohammed Musa, representing Niger East and a former contender for the APC chairmanship in the March 2022 primaries, echoed this sentiment. He argued that addressing zoning at the first encounter would be premature and that the party must first consolidate its victories at the state level, aiming to win governorships in at least 30 states. “We have won the presidential election; now we must secure the states. After the governorship election, we will reconvene, assess our achievements, and then the zoning system the party intends to adopt will be presented. All members have agreed to follow the party’s decision,” he said.
Similarly, Senator Mohammed Ndume, who will represent Borno South in the 10th National Assembly, noted that party leadership urged the lawmakers‑elect to set aside personal ambitions for the time being and focus on delivering their states to the APC by March 18. “The party appealed to NASS members‑elect to downplay leadership issues and concentrate on winning the election battle to the end, ensuring we secure our states,” Ndume emphasized.
Comments are closed for this story.