Magnus Eze, Enugu
Ahead of the inauguration of leadership for the Ninth National Assembly, the Conference of South East Publicity Secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the party has not taken a final decision on the matter.
APC spokespersons from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, rose from a meeting in Enugu, yesterday, and insisted that the region must be given a commanding position in the National Assembly.
Coordinator of the group, Chief Okelo Madukaife (Anambra), who addressed newsmen at the APC state secretariat, said the six substantive positions in a presidential system of government are: President; Vice President; Senate President; Speaker of the House of Representatives; Chief Justice and Chairman of the ruling party and noted that the South East is not occupying any of these positions. He added that even if a position had been taken on zoning; they would not just accept any decision that is injurious to the region.
“If a decision that is injurious to the South East is taken, that doesn’t mean that we cannot discuss it,” Madukaife said, and also, explained that they did not complain in 2015 when the zone could not fill the position of senate president allotted to it because they did not produce a senator on the platform of the party.
However, “the SouthEast needs to come into the equation because now, we have a senator.
“Looking at the House of Representatives, the SouthEast has a lot of qualified persons there. In all the six major positions, no woman is mentioned. It is in the light of the above that we have zeroed in on Nkiruka Onyejeocha, of Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency for the position of speaker,” he stated.
Also, Mrs Kate Offor (Enugu), lamented the exclusion of women in the whole arrangement.