In trigonal bipyramidal geometry

[apiwowar]

why do nonbonding electrons prefer equatorial position?

is it so that they are farthest away from each other so that the negative charges repel each other the most if they are opposite of each other?

 

[chemisttree]

What is the angle between an axial nonbonding pair and the trigonal ligands? What is the angle between the nonbonding pair in the trigonal plane and the rest of the ligands?

What are the rules of VSEPR?