APC south-south leaders tell Buhari they are most deserving of the senate presidency

ALL Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the south-south geo-political zone have presented a set of demands to President Muhammadu Buhari including a request that one of their legislators be elected as the senate president when the National Assembly reconvenes.

 

Following Nigeria's February 26 presidential and National Assembly elections, the configuration of the senate has changed and when the ninth senate resumes after the May 29 swearing-in of the president, It will have to elect new leaders. With the APC being the largest party in the senate, it will get to choose its leaders with the post of senate president being key.

 

Outgoing senate president Senator Bukola Saraki lost his seat in the last elections, so the post is up for grabs but under Nigeria's zoning arrangements under which positions are shared out among the numerous geo-political zones, the south-south believes it should get the position. With President Muhammadu Buhari coming from the northwest and vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo coming from the southwest, all the four other zones are gunning for the senate presidency.

 

Yesterday, APC leaders in the south-south sent President Buhari a congratulatory message and in it requested that the position of senate president be zoned to them. Ntufam Etta, the APC vice chairman, south-south said the zone deserved the position in recognition of its contribution to the country.

 

At the moment, the APC has two ranking senators from the south-south who have been returned to the ninth senate and both of them will fancy their chances of becoming senate president. They include Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Delta Central Senatorial District and Senator Francis Alimikhena representing Edo North Senatorial District.

 

Senator Alimikhena is currently the deputy chief whip, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and is also a member of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review. Former Senate Minority Leader and Cross River State governor senator Godswill Akpabio, would have been a candidate too to be lost his bid to retain his seat in the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

 

Mr Etta said: “Our zone has and will continue to play pivotal roles in order to help our dear country achieve and realise all its potential. The leadership of our great party in the zone has put in extreme hard work towards stabilising the polity to ensure that business thrives in the region and also informing our youths that development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace.

 

“We appreciate all the leaders of the zone and we are grateful that our youths have reciprocated the good gesture of Mr President by embracing peace as a panacea  for continuous development of our region in particular, and the country in general. Gone are the days when youths restiveness will impede development.

 

“We recall that when our son, Senator Joseph Wayas, held sway as senate president, he did our zone and the country very proud. During his tenure, we saw a harmonious working relationship between the executive, legislature and the judiciary and the benefit at this was for all Nigerians.

 

“Therefore, a senate president from the south-south zone will stabilise the polity and focus on its statutory role of making laws. Furthermore, a senate president from the region will avoid unnecessary clashes with the executive as has been witnessed in the recent past.”

 

Before the contest is opened up, the APC will first have to decide which zone it wants to give the senate presidency to. Currently majority leader Senator Ahmed Lawan, representing Yobe North Senatorial District in the northeast will for instance fancy his chances as he a close ally and staunch loyalist of President Buhari.

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