The former governors of Rivers and Ebonyi states, Messrs Nyesom Wike and David Umahi, respectively, and the senator-elect for Akwa Ibom northwest, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, held a closed door meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Aso Villa, Abuja.
Although the details of the meeting could not be ascertained as of the time of handing in this report, it is believed that it is in connection with the backlash of the zoning of principal offices and anointing of candidate for the 10th national assembly.
Recall that Tinubu met with Wike, the governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde and the former governor Delta State, Mr. James Ibori – all members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – at the presidential villa last week.
Recall also that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had on May 8 zoned the positions of the senate president of the 10th national assembly to the south-south and the speaker of the house of representatives to northwest.
The ruling party also agreed on a consensus as Akpabio was anointed as the next senate president while Mr. Tajudeen Abass from Kaduna State (northwest) was anointed as the speaker of the house.
The party also announced Mr. Mr. Barau Jibrin (Kano, northwest) as deputy senate president and Mr. Ben Kalu (Abia, southeast) as the deputy speaker.
The party said the president had endorsed the selection.
However, the other aspirants, including the current deputy speaker, Mr. Idris Wase, former governor of Zamfara State, Mr. Abdulaziz Yari, have protested against the imposition of candidates saying such action makes nonsense of the principle of separation of powers.
