APC Group Backs S/East for NASS Leadership

The Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) Public Relations Officers in the North-East says it supports the South-East’s quest to shift the leadership of the House of Representatives to the zone.

The Coordinator of the forum, Mr Aaron Artimas, disclosed this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

Following the stand, Artimas said the forum was supporting the endorsement of Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha as Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives by the South-East APC public relations officers.

He said, Onyejeocha, a four-time member of the House of Representatives, represented many shades of national opinion, especially on gender issues.

He said with her rich political background as a grass root politician, a former Local Government Chairman and an effective legislator, Onyejeocha was eminently qualified to represent the South-East and to serve the country.

This comes as the APC national leadership had zoned the positions of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the North-East and the South-West, respectively.

Artimas, however, said that while the policy remained a political decision, the forum believed that the ultimate decision to this effect, remained a function of members of the National Assembly.

“As party officials, we are not opposed to the presumptive position taken by the national leadership of our party, but we strongly believe that no decision is exhaustive or final,” he said.

He said the South-East was craving for better participation and representation in the present political dispensation, adding that the major crux of their demand was to enable the party to grow in the region.

“This has nothing to do with the presumed low patronage of the party in the region, we believe that it is very appropriate to give them this wonderful opportunity so as to carry all parts of the country along.

“It is for this reason that we hereby declare our solidarity for the South- East in their quest to shift the leadership of the House of Representatives to the zone.

“It will please us greatly, if the national leadership of our party and indeed leaders of the party will take a second look at its perceived position in this regards,” he said.

Artimas further noted that Nigeria had always stood on a political tripod anchored on the three founding political regions, West, East and the North, which are now referred to as six geo-political zones.

“The implication of this is that every political region should be given its own right of equal participation as envisioned by the founding fathers of our country,” he said.