Appointing Akume as SGF not enough compensation for North Central- Group
Appointing Akume as SGF not enough compensation for North Central- Group
The Concerned North-Central APC Stakeholders Forum has said that the appointment of Sen. George Akume, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF) is not enough compensation for the North-Central.
Mr Dominic Alancha, the forum’s Converner said this at a news conference on Monday in Abuja while reacting to the appointment.
He, however expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for appointing Akume as SGF and wished him a successful tenure, but stressed that the region deserved more.
According to him, the North-Central deserve to produce the country’s next Senate President because it worked for the APC to ensure its victory at the polls.
Akume, a former Governor of Benue, was the immediate past Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Alancha decried the exclusion of the North-Central geo-political region from the zoning arrangement of principal offices of the in-coming 10th National Assembly by the APC leadership.
He said the party’s leadership should address the issue before the inauguration of the 10th Assembly slated for June 13 for the sake of fairness, equity and justice.
He added that the geo-political zone could not be swayed by the decision of Tinubu to appoint Akume as SGF to drop its clamour for equitable treatment in the distribution of principal offices of the National Assembly.
“We demand that the four principal positions in the National Assembly are shared among the zones other than the zones the President and Vice-President hails from.
“The Deputy Senate President and Speaker cannot be zoned to the North-West when the North-Central has not been given anything.
“The North-Central cannot be totally excluded from the zoning arrangement,” Alancha said.
He applauded the cooperation and unity of the six aspirants who came together to resist the attempt at imposing an unpopular candidate as the next speaker of the House of Representatives by the party’s leadership.
He urged Sen. Sani Musa, one of the aspirants from the North-Central to remain strong in the race to defend the interest of the region.
Alancha called on the aspirants to consider the region for equity, justice and fairness as they continued to rally support, saying Nigerians commend their spirit of team work and selflessness.
He further urged the aspirants to remain firm and resolute to preserve the independence of the legislature and institution of the National Assembly.
“I am pained because much as we want the new administration of President Tinubu to hit the ground running,
“We observe with dismay how it is being slowed down owing to the delay and time being lost over the issue of zoning leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly,” he said.
Alancha noted that the parliament was a key component in any democratic structure, adding that its organisation determined the speed with which an administration could succeed in its quest to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
He added that Tinubu, therefore needed to address the leadership quagmire at the National Assembly for equity, justice and fairness to consolidate on his grip on the polity.
He congratulated Tinubu for a successful inauguration despite plans by some opposition elements to scuttle the occasion. (https://newsatlarge.ng)