As the race for principal offices of the National Assembly intensifies, senators elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and members of the House of Representatives, are awaiting the final zoning formula from the ruling party.
The party is, however, being careful not to impose principal officers on its caucuses in the National Assembly.
There were indications that consultations were ongoing among APC leaders, senators and members of the House of Representatives.
But no agreement has been reached on the power sharing formula.
The offices to be filled are: Senate Majority Leader, Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip.
In the House of Representatives, the vacant positions are House Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip.
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It was gathered that although a tentative zoning formula was approved for the Senate by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, the party said it was not the final decision on it.
The formula for the Senate is Senate Leader (North Central); Deputy Senate Leader (North West); Chief Whip (South East/South West); and Deputy Chief Whip (South West or South East).
It was gathered that the positions of the Senate Leader and House Leader have attracted more jostling among lawmakers.
The North Central, the North West and the South East are jostling for Senate Leader.
In the House of Representatives, the struggle for its leader is between the North East and the North West.
Some of the high-profile aspirants are a former Deputy Speaker nominee to Gbajabiamila in 2015, M. T. Monguno (North East); ex-Chief Whip Ado Doguwa; Garba Datti; Musa Sarki Ada, Goro Aminu Suleiman (North West); Johnson Egwahido Oguma (South South); Nkiru Onyejeocha, who stepped down for the Speaker and Emeka Nwajiuba (South East).
While the North East is seeking the slot for House Majority Leader, the North West is insisting that it deserves the office.
Also, the South East said it should not be left out in the scheme of things in the National Assembly.
A ranking senator from the North West said: “We have been having talks across the geo-political zones but we are yet to reach consensus on how to share the remaining positions.
“We are now relying on the party to zone these offices before we resume. If the zoning is effected, each geopolitical caucus can meet and vote for any preferred candidate from their zone for any office allotted to it.”
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A top source in APC said the party was being careful to avoid division in its caucuses in the Senate and the House.
The source said: “We did the zoning informally before the election of the President of the Senate, the Deputy President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker.
“But the zoning is not iron cast, political exigencies will determine the final zoning formula. No action has been taken on the zoning of other offices.
“What we are doing now is to allow senators and members of the House to consult among themselves in order to build consensus. We do not want to impose principal officers.
“When we get feelers from our lawmakers, we will aggregate majority views, alongside those of our leaders, and come out with final zoning formula.”
When contacted, National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Issa Lanre-Onilu said, “No action has been taken on the zoning of the remaining offices to my knowledge.”
A ranking senator, however, said: “The actual convention all over the world is for the party to lead the initiative and zone these offices. We don’t know why they have not done so.
“We hope they will adopt this universal convention. We are loyal partymen. We will abide by the decision of the party.”
