by Kolapo Olapoju

Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, apparently has a different point of view regarding the zoning arrangement in the All Progressives Congress.

While the Pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande and leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have declared that zoning won’t be used to determine the next Senate President, Akume says ‘zoning is acceptable’.

Akande had earlier this week, said the party would not employ the use of zoning to determine the next senate president while Tinubu had also stated zoning will not be used to compromise the quality of leadership for the National Assembly adding that the party had decided to allow all those interested in the leadership of the federal parliament, to contest.

However, Akume insists that zoning was part and parcel of the politics of Nigeria, arguing that Dr.Goodluck Jonathan became the  President of Nigeria as a result of zoning.

Akume, who is a contender in the race for the Senate Presidency, spoke with journalists in his Abuja residence on Friday evening.

He said, “Even if zoning is not explicitly stated in the Constitution, there is always this letting to understanding that there must be fairness and balance in the occupation of strategic positions. We should not throw away zoning.

“In every zone, there are capable Nigerians that will hold their own in every endeavour. So, basically zoning is acceptable to me because it ensures stability. I have not heard from the party that they have jettisoned zoning.

“I remember, the last meeting we had, there was this issue that it has been zoned to North Central. I do not know it has been taken away because the party has not said they are taking it away but all I want to say is that the party made a comment on it.

“I am a faithful party man. I was part of the team that negotiated the merger of this party and I am also in the privilege position to talk about the dynamism of APC.”

Kolapo Olapoju