Acting under the aegis of the North Central People’s Forum NCPF), stakeholders from the North Central have told President Bola Tinubu that the geopolitical zone is not satisfied with the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) given to the zone.
This is contained in a Monday statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Hon Audu Sule.
The NCPF spoke ahead of the June 13 inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
Recall that Tinubu last week appointed former Benue Governor and former Minister, Senator George Akume as the SGF.
The North Central stakeholders said that although they were grateful to the president for the SGF position, it was not adequate compensation for the millions of votes secured by the president in the zone.
They noted that someone from the zone should be the next Deputy Senate President and an indigene of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should get a ministerial slot of any portfolio, but preferably the FCT minister.
According to the NCPF, the people of the North Central, including Abuja, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa and Kwara States, know very well that one of them should be appointed the FCT minister.
The ruling APC had announced its preferred candidates for top positions in the National Assembly, including Senator Godswill Akpabio – South South (Senate President), Senator Jibrin Barau – North West (Deputy Senate President), Hon, Tajudeen Abass – North West (Speaker) and Hon. Benjamin Kalu – South East (Deputy Speaker).
The party’s position runs contrary to the wishes of some party stalwarts, especially those eyeing leadership positions in the 10th Assembly.
APC’s zoning was also highly criticised as to why a party would zone two of the six presiding offices in the National Assembly to a zone and leave the North Central without any position, even as many others faulted the zoning of Deputy Speaker to the South-East instead of Presidency of the Senate generally believed to be due to the zone.
While some say that Akume’s appointment may have been Tinubu’s way of appeasing the North Central for being overlooked in APC’s zoning formula, the NCPF said that the post of SGF cannot be a substitute for the office of Deputy Senate President, a Presiding office in the Senate.
The group said, “First of all we thank Mr President for appointing one of our sons, father and brother as the SGF. We want to particularly congratulate Sen George Akume for the appointment because he is eminently qualified.
“But that is not enough to pacify us. If you look at the vote the APC pulled in North Central it was massive. We were able to lead in all the states except for Plateau and FCT which went to the Labour Party.
“We want the office of the deputy Senate president to go to the North Central. That is the office we have not occupied. In the past, military governments appointed ministers of FCT from the North Central. That’s what we want from the present administration.
“Also, if you check in the previous government, the North East had a Senate President and the SGF. So, we want the office of the deputy Senate president. It will be good for the north central to get it because out of the seven states, we give five to the APC.
“We are also calling for the North Central state to be considered for the office of the FCT minister because the people understand the area very well. Also, the FCT should be given a ministerial appointment.”