Resistance builds against Tinubu and APC NWC’s preferred candidates for NASS leadership

As the June 13th inauguration of the 10th National Assembly approaches, there is growing opposition from Senators-elect and Members-elect to the endorsement of candidates for the Senate Presidency and House Speakership by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Tinubu/Shettima Network (TSN) and Northwest Political Forum (NPF) are backing Senator Abdulaziz Yari for Senate President. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refused to endorse Senator Godswill Akpabio as the next Senate President.

• Resistance is building against the APC NWC’s chosen candidates for NASS leadership.

• The Tinubu/Shettima Network and the Northwest Political Forum are backing Senator Abdulaziz Yari as Senate President, rather than the NWC’s preferred candidates.

• The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refused to endorse Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President and may produce its own candidate for the position.

The search for the next Senate President and House Speaker of the 10th National Assembly (NASS) is underway, with political parties and pressure groups jostling to secure the positions.

There are indications of a rift between the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some Senators-elect and Members-elect over the endorsement of certain candidates for the Senate Presidency and House Speakership.

At a meeting last Friday, the APC NWC reportedly endorsed Senator-elect Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.

Additionally, Tajudeen Abass and Benjamin Kalu from Abia State were endorsed as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives respectively.

However, these endorsements have met with opposition from several groups.

The Tinubu/Shettima Network (TSN) and Northwest Political Forum (NPF) are backing Senator Abdulaziz Yari as Senate President.

The groups argued that Senator Yari is the most qualified candidate from the North West geopolitical zone, which gave the highest votes of 2,700,000 to the APC at the February 25, 2023 Presidential election. They maintained that the Senate Presidency should be zoned to the North West in the interest of equity and justice.

In addition to this, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refused to endorse Senator Godswill Akpabio as the next Senate President.

The PDP has produced 36 Senators-elect compared to APC’s 59, while the Labour Party, YPP and SDP have eight, one and one Senators-elect respectively. The PDP has stated that it may produce its own candidate for the Senate Presidency in light of the divisions within the APC.

In the race for the Speakership of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi has announced his aspiration to occupy the position. Gagdi argued that it would be fair and just to open up the race to all the aspirants from the northern part of the country, rather than ceding the seat to Tajudeen Abass, as purportedly decided by the APC NWC.

As the politicking and horse-trading continue, the NWC is set to ratify its choices for the NASS leadership. However, the opposition to these choices seems to be growing, with several groups calling for a more equitable and just distribution of power.