North-Central, South-East Reps decry selection of principal officers

The South East and North Central caucuses of the House of Representatives ‎on Wednesday decried the All Progressives Congress stance on the zoning of principal officers to the North East and South West.

The South East and North Central caucuses of the House in Abuja said they and other geopolitical zones were left out.

Speaking to newsmen in separate ‎news conferences, they lamented that the party had completely excluded them from the offices of principal positions in the House.

They said the party should take into cognisance the Federal Character principle embedded in the constitution ‎in the allotting of principal offices.

Rep. Ahman Pategi (Kwara-APC), who spoke on behalf of the party’s North Central caucus in the House, said the APC’s position was taken without consulting the caucus.

Pategi explained that they were shocked when the party stated in the said publications that they arrived at the decision after due consultation.

He said: “We are also amazed by the directive of the party to the leadership of the House to take necessary action on the purported choice made ‎by the party.

“We see it as a clear usurpation of the powers of the zonal caucuses and their members as guaranteed by the constitution and the standing rules of the House of Representatives.

“We therefore reject the selection by the party, which is in conflict with the principle of the Federal Character as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Pategi said the North Central caucus believed that there should be fairness and equity in the selection of other principal positions of the House following the emergence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Similarly, Rep. Austin Chukwukere (Imo-APC) also addressed newsmen on behalf of the South East caucus of the APC in the House.

According to Chukwukere: “We can’t stand here and allow the party to sweep us out.

“In the spirit of Federal Character, the party has not done the right thing.”

According to Chukwukere, if the South East is not carried along in the appointment of principal officers, it will lack the moral and courage to serve the party.

He, therefore, called on the APC to find a solution to the issue and carry all other geopolitical zones along in the appointment of principal officers in the House.

NAN.