After several postponements, the All Progressives Congress(APC) National Working Committee(NWC)on Monday announced the zoning of critical positions for the 10th National Assembly.

The NWC according to APC Constitution is meant to act on behalf of the NEC in all activities. The members of the NWC are more or less employees of the NEC.

Although speculations have been rife that the President -Elect Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu had endorsed the candidature of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President and Abass Tajudeen as Speaker House of Representatives, Senator Tinubu is yet to make an open declaration of his choice.

Akpabio led some Senators to meet the President-Elect during his recent visit to Rivers state.

But from the blues,the NWC of the party on Monday announced the zoning and endorsement of Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Hon. Abass Tajudeen(Kaduna) as the next Senate President and House of Representatives speaker in the 10th National Assembly, respectively.

Other positions include Deputy Senate President – North West-Senator Barau Jubrin (Kano) and Deputy Speaker – South East-Hon. Ben Kalu (Abia)

Earlier on Monday, some former senators, who served between the Second and Fourth Republics, had endorsed former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Jibrin Barau, as the president and deputy president of the 10th Senate.

Informed sources revealed that the former senators, under the aegis of Non-Serving Senators, said their endorsement of the two senators for the positions was to ensure equity and fairness in the dispensation of political powers to all geopolitical zones of the country.

The former senators numbering about 72 made their position known at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.

The endorsement came just before the APC adopted the duo.Senator Akpabio was a member of the upper legislative chamber between 2015 and 2019 during which he was the minority leader.

Senator Jibrin currently represents Kano North and chairs the committee on appropriation.

Senator Basheer Lado, who addressed journalists on behalf of the former senators, said the decision to support Messrs Akpabio and Barau for the positions followed extensive consultation with concerned authorities.

He said the leadership of the Senate requires the service of experienced lawmakers who have the capacity to unite members of the Senate irrespective of the geopolitical zone and also ensure that good governance is delivered.

“We, in the spirit of equity, fairness, political expedience and following extensive consultations with stakeholders, hereby express our total support for the zoning of the position of the President of the 10th Senate, to the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria.

“We also affirm our unfettered support for the position of the President of the 10th Senate who also doubles as the Chairman of the National Assembly to be conferred on His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON. The position of Senate President represents the third position in the hierarchy of our current democratic dispensation,”he stressed.

Apart from Senators Akpabio and Barau, other aspirants for the senate presidency include Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North), Senator Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) and Senator Sani Musa (Niger).

Serving senators and Senators-elect from the South-east on Sunday rejected the zoning of the senate presidency to the South-south as well as the endorsement of Mr Akpabio for the position.

But determined to actualise his ambition of becoming the Senate President, the Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has written personal letters to members of National Working Committee of All Progressives Congress(APC) and 108 Senators-elect of his interest to be the next Senate President.

He had earlier visited Aso Rocks, seat of power to brief President Muhammadu Buhari of his ambition. He also visited the President -Elect to solicit for his support and endorsement.

In an official statement released by the Media office of the Chief Whip on Monday afternoon , Senator Kalu in the letters he personally signed and addressed to each of the NWC Members and Senators elect, said he is offering himself for the position of the Senate President to the Nigerian people, the senators elect and the party with sincerity of heart, humility, and candour.

Senator Kalu also noted that his seemingly inactive in the contest of the senate presidency was because of the one month mourning of his late wife, Mrs Ifeoma Ada Kalu