By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA — Some incoming governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the North-East are set to battle the incoming legislators from the zone over their (governors) opposition to any of them taking the office of Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives. The inclination of the incoming governors has, however, been rebuffed by the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) who, it was learned, has given a cold shoulder to the moves as he is said to have insisted on the legislators being given a free rein to determine their leaders.

Some of the North-East governors-elect, it was learnt, are canvassing the zoning of the two offices away from the region on the fear that anyone of their legislators occupying the office could lead to a power tussle with them.

That nonetheless, there were indications in Abuja, weekend, that supporters of a leading candidate for Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, were pushing to re-enact the scenario that projected Aminu Tambuwal to overcome the challenge put forth by his party in the 2011 leadership contest.

The governors-elect, it was learnt, had almost successfully penetrated a five-man committee of APC governors constituted to resolve the problem of zoning of the different positions available. That committee, it was gathered, had zoned the two offices away from the region, a development that serving and incoming lawmakers backing Dogara were said to have warned would be inimical to party coherence during the leadership contest.

The decision of the committee has raised anxiety among senators-elect and members-elect especially from the region who are backing the aspiration of Dogara.

Buhari not interested in zoning

Vanguard also gathered that the President-elect has stuck to his decision not to interfere on the issue. It was learnt that one of the governors took the decision of the North-East governors-elect to Buhari who was said to have pooh-poohed the idea. Had Buhari signed the decisions, it would have been made public last Friday. But the source said that the President-elect, as at yesterday, hasn’t touched the document and not likely to do so soon.

The sources said: “One of the governors took the governors’ decision to the President-elect on Thursday thinking it would be signed for him to announce it on Friday, but Buhari didn’t do that. And he may not even touch it. “If for anything, Buhari would even show more interest in the Speakership of the House than the Senate president. But the man has consistently said that the members should be allowed to choose their leaders.”

A repeat of Tambuwal’s case imminent

The development, it was gathered, has fuelled suggestions of the prospect of the incoming legislators defying whatever zoning permutation that is contrary to their liking. According to the source, a lot of old and incoming parliamentarians from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and APC have decided to queue behind Dogara no matter the level of pressure from any conceivable quarters.

“The size of Dogara’s camp is increasing. And with Buhari’s position not to interfere, he is most likely to win the speakership,” the source told Vanguard.