Protesters Tuesday stormed the national secretariat of the party, where they demanded the review of 19th National Assembly zoning arrangement ahead of the June 13th inauguration.
The protesters under the auspices of Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups condemned and totally rejected the so-called zoning formula released recently by the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the group, Adamu Isaiah, while addressing journalists said it was more worrisome was the fact that the party in error went ahead to micro-zone names to specific persons.
Isaiah stated: “This, we consider, is not in the spirit of party inclusivity. We suggest that the party consults widely among the state holders and especially the National Executive Committee (NEC) to be able to do this in the spirit of fairness, goodwill, equity and justice.”
He added that the party must respect the principle and spirit of the letters of the legacy parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress of Progressives Change (CPC) and the New Peoples Democratic Party (n-PDP).
Isiah pointed out that at every level of governance in APC since 2015, all others above except APGA faction have taken prominent positions as President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives, National Chairmen of the party, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
He noted that there was therefore an urgent need to correct this lop-sidedness and imbalance.
According to him, Similarly, a handful of those currently vying for the position of the Senate President of the 10th NASS came into APC only in the later days of its second term in office. They have not equally played any major roles in the party except to come and take over positions like nomadic politicians who come in only when food is ready. This too is not fair to those who laboured and built the party from inception to its enviable height.
The protesters said South-East has produced two APC Governors and six APC Senators-elect, saying while the South-South being ‘erroneously” favoured today for the office of Senate President has had President, Vice-president, two National chairmen, National Secretary, Deputy Senate President, and SGF.
Isiah added: “The party at this point in time should be seen to be in the forefront and vanguard of promoting ideals that unite Nigerians irrespective of party affiliation, tribal lining and social stratification rather than emphasizing policies that divide, such as the current purported zoning and micro zoning by the party that throws up an individual for the senate presidency.”
The protesters called Senators-elect to prioritize peace, unity, fairness, justice, equity and equality that will guarantee harmonious co-existence of Nigeria from all walks of lives by doing what is right on the floor of the red chambers on 13th of June, 2023.
