A sociocultural organisation of Igbomina indigenes in Kwara state, the Orisun Igbomina, has advocated a better positioning for North Central states in the incoming administration of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu.
The group noted that the region did not only give the All Progressives Congress (APC) overwhelming support in the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election but also has the highest number of elected governors.
In a statement signed by the President General of the sociocultural organisation, Chief Gbenga Awoyale, on Wednesday, the group noted that the North Central geopolitical zone had always been poorly placed in the scheme of national affairs by successive governments, calling on stakeholders from the zone to unite and forge a common front of placing zone in its rightful position.
The group particularly called on the APC national leadership to cede the Speakership position to the North Central zone, emphasizing that the only time the zone had an opportunity to lead the National Assembly was through a political struggle against the interest of the ruling party, saying such reoccurrence may not be palatable.
“As the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly and election of the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives draws nearer, we deem it expedient to make our voice heard and stand to be counted among advocates of political repositioning of the North Central geopolitical zone, which has remained one of the most disadvantaged zones politically in Nigeria, since the return of democracy.
“As charity begins at home, we want to congratulate our dear Governor – the leader who sees the future and continues to engineer its betterment by empowering the young people who are the owners of tomorrow by preparing them to take the lead. His visionary and impactful leadership of the state saw him delivering all NASS seats for APC, a reality that further testifies to the commitment of the North Central to the party’s success.
“It is on the premise of the North Central’s outstanding contribution to the party’s victory that we are urging the APC leadership to, this time around, halt the ‘use and dump’ political attire usually exhibited against the North Central by successive government, as the prevailing political scheming at the national level is suggesting.
“We make particular reference to the proposed zoning of the NASS leadership, which is not favourable to the North Central. We urge the party to avoid the ugly political scenarios that produced the first Senate President from the North Central by being fair to all, especially our geopolitical zone, by ceding the House of Representatives Speakership to the North Central.
“Aside from speakership of NASS, we also urge the President-elect and the leadership of the APC, to reward the unwavering loyalty of the North Central and Kwara state in particular, by appointing its people into strategic leadership positions, as we are confident that Kwara state and the North Central have competent and credible individuals that can drive the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr President-elect”, he said.
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