…By Larry John for TDPel Media. Senators-elect from the South East geopolitical zone have urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position of Senate President to their region in the interest of justice, fairness, and unity.
Reports had earlier indicated that President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu had endorsed Senator Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom State for the position.
However, the Southeast senators rejected the perceived zoning of the position to any other geopolitical zone aside from their region.
They warned Tinubu against neglecting the Igbo, a major ethnic group, as this would be a recipe for restiveness and an open display of marginalisation.
The lawmakers pointed out that consultation had begun with other geopolitical zones to support their aspirations and demands.
They observed that the Southeast had been blessed with ranking Senators-elect, including members of the APC, who had the capacity, competence, influence, experience, and political followership to pilot the affairs of the Red Chamber.
As such, they insisted that the APC should uphold the principles of natural justice and equity that it preaches, and zone the seat of Senate President to the South East region.
The Southeast Senators-elect called on the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to extend the same democratic opportunity he received from the outgoing administration, which gave all aspirants equal opportunity to exercise their fundamental and constitutional rights during the APC Presidential Primaries.
They implored him to be sensitive to the times in Nigeria and ensure that the country continued to thrive on the part of equity, unity, and fairness to the tripod of Nigeria (Hausa Igbo Yoruba) and the geopolitical zones.
The senators-elect called on the APC to rise above primordial and political interest and shun the winner-takes-all syndrome.
They stressed that the party should pursue ethno-religious inclusivity and a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable, and just democratic nation.
They noted that the South East had been denied the chance of producing the President of Nigeria since 1966.
The South South, on the other hand, had produced the President for six years and also had the Deputy Senate President in the outgoing administration.
The only zone in the South that had not been favoured is the South East.
The outcry of marginalisation by the South East and the entire Igbo should be addressed by the incoming administration, rather than aggravating it.
The Southeast senators-elect also pointed out that the South West had the President, while the North East had the Vice President.
They stated that it was only fair that the least position at the moment that could assuage the South East is given the chance to be the President of the 10th Senate.
The lawmakers resolved to support South East aspirants of the APC, adding that they had expanded negotiations with other well-meaning Senators-elect to rally round the South East to ensure that justice, fairness, and unity of the country prevailed.
They expressed hope that together, they would achieve a harmonious 10th Senate, deepen democracy, fairness, and the unity of the country.
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