Indications have emerged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will zone the Senate Presidency position in the South East to dampen the feelings of people from the region.
According to inside sources, with Bola Tinubu, from the South West, as president from May 29 and Kashim Shetima, from the North East, as Vice President, the caucuses in the APC have been favorably disposed to have the Senate president from the South East.
Confirming this, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, who wished to remain anonymous, said that some party elders believe that zoning the third position to the Southeast will create a balance of power, in line with the original tripod in the district.
He said that the majority of NWC members of the party are of the opinion that in the spirit of inclusivity promised by Tinubu, it will pay APC for the Senate Presidency zone to the South East, at a time when the number of APC senators from the region has increased to six, up from one in 2015.
The NWC member said that those who support this arrangement have started approaching other zones to seek approval.
“After missing out on the presidential contest in all parties at the time of the clamor for the president of high Igbo extraction, it is in the interest of the APC to zone the third political position for the South East,” he said.
The source further stated that North Central and South South have also been positioned to produce the Vice President of the Senate and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, while the North West will produce the Speaker, House of Representatives.
He said the NWC members are keen to reduce religious and tribal tensions in the country, with the zoning formula.
According to him, “there has been tension and the party has decided to reduce it by doing its best for the office zones, starting from the Senate Presidency to the South East.
Arrangements have been made to meet with our President-elect, Tinubu, on this matter.
“Since 2015, the distribution of leadership positions by the APC has not been balanced and we are committed to correcting it with the 10th Assembly. So far, we are the majority with 57 senatorial seats.
“During the primaries of our party, the South East did not get the support of the party to produce candidates. This did not go down well with them. Now is another opportunity to prove to Nigerians that we are a party for all.