According to a news that was published by the Vanguard Newspaper online this morning, it was reported that ahead of the June 13th inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, there are indications that the last week’s Paris meeting of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, may alter the zoning formula for presiding officers.
Recall that the zoning arrangements of the presiding officers for the 10th National Assembly, by the All Progressives Congress, APC, generated heat within the party, as APC zoned the Senate Presidency to the South-South geopolitical zone and the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the North-West geopolitical zone. It also zoned the Deputy Senate Presidency to the North-West geopolitical zone, and Deputy Speakership to the South-East geopolitical zone.
However, Vanguard correspondent, was reliably informed that, following agitations against the North-West geopolitical zone, producing two presiding offices, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, urged Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to revisit the zoning arrangement, when they met in France.
Vanguard reported that a lawmaker-elect, who spoke to their correspondent on the condition of anonymity, and in confidence said that, the meeting between the duo, was not going down well with Kwankwaso.
He said, “For instance, since the meeting between the President-elect and Kwankwaso in Paris, there have been speculations that Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State was angry. Just this morning, we were told why Ganduje is very angry over Tinubu’s meeting with Kwankwaso. We were informed that, one of the conditions Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, gave to Tinubu was to take away the position of Deputy Senate President from Kano State, to the North-Central geopolitical zone, since there are serious agitations against having two presiding offices in one zone.”
Further talking, he said it was unfortunate that, the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, accepted that suggestion and also agreed to revisit the zoning formula of the party.
He said, “By implication, Senator Jibrin Barau, who is being supported by Ganduje, will be sacrificed if the North-Central geopolitical zone, is now compensated with the Deputy Senate President position.”
