Senator Ajibola Basiru, the spokesman for the ninth Senate and the representative for Osun Central Senatorial District, has spoken out against zoning leadership positions in the 10th Assembly. In an exclusive interview with *Sunday*, Basiru argued that if all geopolitical zones were allowed to contest freely in the presidential election, each zone should likewise be permitted a fair contest for National Assembly leadership.
Following the National Assembly election on February 25, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) retained a majority in the Senate, securing 57 seats. APC senators aspiring to the Senate presidency have been lobbying colleagues for support. Senators who have indicated interest in the role include Jibrin Barau (Kano), Uzor Kalu (Abia), Sani Musa (Niger), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi).
Basiru said, “Personally, I don’t believe that the Senate presidency should be zoned because in the just‑concluded presidential election there was nothing like zoning; the leading four candidates came from different parts of Nigeria—two from the south—Peter Obi from the South‑East and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the South‑West—and two from the north—Rabiu Kwankwaso from the North‑West and Atiku Abubakar from the North‑East. It was a democratic contest whereby people from different zones contested the presidency.” He added that there is no basis for denying anyone the opportunity to contest for the Senate presidency on sentimental grounds and urged Nigerians to de‑emphasize religion and ethnicity in democracy.
Basiru warned that zoning the leadership of the 10th Assembly could backfire, especially as lawsuits challenge the presidential election. “Two of the presidential candidates have approached the court, and we cannot predict the outcome. Pre‑emptively zoning the National Assembly leadership might be premature, and if any of those candidates wins, it would be problematic. We should not reduce the office of the 10th Assembly leader to ethnic or religious considerations; it should be based on merit and acceptability,” he said.
Political analyst Dr. Busari Dauda advised the APC to balance power dynamics among the six regions, noting the importance of religion in Nigeria’s power equation. “The party should ensure power balance among all regions, not forgetting the religious component. For obvious reasons, the Senate President should come from either the South‑South or the South‑East. Sacrifices will have to be made, and inclusivity should be the government’s mantra,” he said.
The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy, Auwal Rafsanjani, suggested that the APC consider zoning the leadership of the 10th Assembly. Meanwhile, the civil‑society group Campaign for Democracy has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission to scrutinize National Assembly members in both chambers. In a statement, Secretary‑General Ifeanyi Odili urged the anti‑graft agencies to thoroughly investigate alleged bribery involving some senators and newly elected members of the 10th Senate.
Comments are closed for this story.