It has emerged that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to capitalise on the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reach a consensus on the zoning of key offices in the incoming administration.

Some APC members, had, in a crucial meeting in Abuja on Thursday, April 23, disagreed on the zoning of the Senate President seat to the North-Central and Deputy Senate President to the North-East, as recommended by the party’s National Working Committee.

Reports say the PDP factions in the two chambers of the National Assembly are forming an alliance with the aggrieved APC members to produce a speaker and a senate president different from candidates approved by the APC.

At the APC meeting, the office of the deputy speaker was reportedly zoned to the South-South.

A member of the alliance who spoke to Punch anonymously said the caucus will ensure that holders of the offices are not choices of the APC leaders.

“Although we are not disputing the fact that the APC should produce leaders of the National Assembly, we will ensure that those who will emerge are people we prefer, not the choices of the APC leaders.

“By doing that, we will snatch the control of the National Assembly from them, just as the APC controlled the House through Aminu Tambuwal,” the source said.

However, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had in a statement earlier this week dismissed the reports of disagreement in the party over zoning of offices. He described the claims as ‘products of hyperactive rumour mills’.

The student, who died on Thursday April 23rd. Alex was an alumni of Loyola Jesuit College Class of 2012, was a first year student at the UK university studying MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

In a statement released by the University, he was found dead around 11.26am on Thursday morning inside a student halls of residence room filled with helium.

A team of chemical experts had been called in to make sure it was safe for students who lived at the hall to go inside the building due to a large amounts of helium gas detected inside.

While carrying out a room-to-room search, they discovered that Alexander's door was locked. Upon breaking it down, they discovered the body of the deceased. The halls were then cordoned off until at least 3pm. Alex's death is not being treated as a suspicious case.

Neil White, head of the electronics and computer science department, said in a statement to students:

“I am writing to you in my capacity as Head of ECS, and with great sadness, to notify you of the death yesterday of Alexander Ukwu who was a first year student studying MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Alexander will be sadly missed and we are in contact with his family to send our condolences and sympathy to them at this difficult time.

I understand that you may be very upset by this news, there are a number of different ways you can access support, if you feel you would like to.

No statements have been made by the family of the deceased as at press time.