The new leadership of the National Assembly is really causing a controversy and there are talks that it will affect President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet setup.

All the leaders, except Ekweremadu, are members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). Ekweremadu is the only member of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Punch reports, President Buhari is waiting for the outcome of the election before making an announcement on key appointments in his government.

Apart from the ministers, he’s believed to be waiting for the election of principal officers of the National Assembly before naming his Secretary to the Government of the Federation, his Chief of Staff and Special Advisers.

It was discovered that the position of the SGF previously reserved for the South-East may now go to another zone because of the emergence of Ekweremadu.

In anticipation that the position would go to the zone, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State reportedly submitted three names to Buhari.

Those on his list are a former governor of Anambra state, Chris Ngige; a former governor of old Abia state, Ogbonnaya Onu and Anthony Anwuka.

It was further gathered that in the negotiation that brought Saraki to power, the zone agreed to rather go for the position of the deputy senate president instead of the SGF.

“President Buhari is seriously tinkering with the original list he has for political offices. This is because the emergence of the officers of the National Assembly has affected the original list he has.

“Though he was expecting some elements of surprise in the election, but I think he never bargained for a total disregard to party directive in the election of the officers,” the presidential source said,

So far, in the distribution of offices, only the South-South region has not benefitted. Some people argued that since the National Chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, hails from the zone, that he should be considered as a position.

“Because of this, the zone is being considered for a strategic position by the President either as the SGF, CoS or others. But politicians from the North-East are still mounting pressure on the President to cede the position of the SGF to the area,” the source added.

The emergence of Lasun also seems to threaten the zoning of the office of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation to the South-West.

Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was saddled with the responsibility of nominating a lawyer for the position.

He would be in charge of justice and law reforms to be carried out by the Buhari administration.

So much politics is being played on the present issue as it is further learnt that if those who want the office taken out of the zone succeed, it may go to Kebbi State, where a particular SAN who worked for the presidential bid of Buhari and Osinbajo was being considered.

It was learned that the president has however not made up his mind on this issue.

A presidential source said, “The president didn’t want to make the mistake of appointing his aides from the zone where the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives could have emerged.

“You know that the case of the South-East was particularly worrisome because they didn’t vote for the APC and they don’t have any senator or Rep from the APC. So, the way of taking care of the zone in key appointment was giving us headache.

“Now, the zone has come through the back door to get the office of the Deputy Senate President. That is okay for the Presidency. That shows the zone has helped itself and has also helped the Presidency.”


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