Senators from the South-East across party lines have rejected the the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the south south
This is as the aggrieved senators sent a stern warning to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, stressing that such move will amount to injustice and unfairness against them.
The senators made their position known in a communique issued after a marathon meeting held at the Maitama residence of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (Young People’s Party, Anambra South ).
The senators-elect across party lines vehemently kicked against the marginalisation of the zone.
They posited that since the zone was tactically denied the presidential ticket of any of the two major political parties in the February 2023 general election, the position of Senate Presidency is supposed to have been given in the interest of Justice and fairness.
They noted that the south east zone is blessed with ranking senators who have what it takes to lead Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.
The communique read,” We have observed with dismay the antics of persons with vested selfish Interests who have planted themselves around the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have vowed to shut out the South East from the Senate Presidency of the 10th Senate.
“Beyond ethnic and religious considerations, in the forthcoming 10th Senate, the Southeast has been blessed with ranking Senators-elect Including members of the APC who have the cranial capacity, competence, influence, experience and Political followership to pilot the affairs of the Red Chamber, it becomes imperative that the All Progressives Congress upholds the Principle of Natural Justice and equity which it preaches founded on reasons and zone the seat of Senate President to the South-East region.”
The South-East senators also told the President-elect to extend the same democratic opportunity he received from the outgoing regime, which gave all aspirants the equal opportunity to exercise their fundamental and constitutional rights during the APC Presidential Primaries.
The lawmakers in the communiqué added, “He should be conscious of the grave implications of zoning and endorsing a candidate from the South-South without any regard for the Southeast, such move will no doubt serve as a recipe for Injustice which will culminate in restiveness.
“We implore the President-elect to be sensitive to the times in Nigeria and ensure the country continues to thrive on the party of equity, unity and fairness to the tripod of Nigeria (Hausa Igbo Yoruba) and the geopolitical zones.”
The lawmakers further admonished the incoming administration of Tinubu to give the South-East the opportunity to produce the next Senate President so as to assuage their grievances against the party.
The communiqué added, “The country is already divided amongst ethnic and religious lines due to the exclusion of the Southeast region, which formed the major reason the APC received the number of votes from the Southeast.
“With the side-lining of the Southeast from producing the Presidential candidates of the major political parties before the general elections, the only means through which the zone can be compensated and given a sense of belonging is for the zone to produce the next Senate President as this will restore the confidence of the people from the South-east and South-south geo-political zones and indeed all Nigerians in the unity of the country.
“The APC must rise above primordial and political interest and shun the winner-takes-all syndrome and pursue ethnoreligious inclusivity and a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic nation.
“Mr President-elect, how would an average Igbo man feel after he sees evidence of total discrimination? The South East has been denied the chance of producing the president of Nigeria since 1966. The South South has produced President for six years and also had Deputy Senate President In the outgoing administration. The only zone in the South that has not been favoured is the South East. The outcry of marginalisation by the South East and the entire Igbo should be addressed by your incoming administration rather than aggravating it. The South-West has President; the North-East has Vice President. It is only just that the least position at the moment that can assuage the South East is given the chance to be the President of the 10th Senate.
“On this note, we have collectively resolved to support South East aspirants of the APC. We remain committed and have since expanded negotiations with other well-meaning Senators-elect to rally around the South East to ensure that justice, fairness and unity of the country prevails.”
Aside from Senator Ubah who read the Communique, others present at the meeting were, Senators Orji Kalu, (APC, Abia North); Enyinnaya Abaribe,( All Progressives Grand Alliance, Abia South); Victor Umeh ( Labour Party, Anambra Central) and Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West);
Others are: Senators Ezenwa Oyewuchi ( LP, Imo East); Tony Nwoye,( LP, Anambra North) PatrickNdubueze, (APC, Imo North); Okey Ezea, ( LP, Enugu North); Kelvin Chukwu (Labour Party, Enugu East); and Osita Ngwu ( PDP, Enugu East).
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