Group operating under the aegis of Concern Nigerians for sustainable Democracy from the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to zone the position of the Senate President to the South East part of the country.
This was made known in a statement signed by Dr. Amos Gizo, the convener/coordinator of the concerned Nigerians for sustainable democracy from all the 36 states and FCT read at the NUJ press center in Abuja on Tuesday 4th of March 2023.
The group appealed to those agitating for the Senate President from the North West to step down as all the likely contestants are Muslims. They believe having a Muslim Senate President will cause political crises as both the President and Vice President-elect are Muslims.
The statement read in part
During the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan before this present regime, the nation witnessed security threats in the North East with the introduction of a terrorist group known as Boko Haram and in the South South the Niger Delta Militants and skirmishes of others in the other four Geo-political Zones ranging from ethnic, religious and secessionists agitations.
The President Buhari-led administration promised to put a stop but low and behold while the government made frantic efforts to reduce the menace of Boko haram and the Niger Delta Militant groups, new forms of security threats were introduced and all the six geo-political zones got involved in the worst manner of security threats, these include Herders/Farmers clash, Kidnapping, IPOB, Banditry etc. With the well-meaning intentions of President Buhari to rid the nation of all these vices it became worst that the lives of Nigerians on daily bases were lost in hundreds to these terrorist groups with the destruction of properties worth trillions. No nation develops in crises situation hence the under developments being witnessed in the country.
With the new government to be ushered in by May 29th 2023, the Nigerian Citizen are expecting much from the Tinubu-led Government. The challenges on the ground are more than those President Buhari met in 2015.
The President-Elect Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has so much in his hands to tackle, these include the backlog of the security challenges, the Naira re-design and cashless policy, the fuel scarcity, the high level of unemployment, education deficit, infrastructural developments, medical services and so forth.
The most serious arm of Government after the Executive arm is the Legislative arm. This conference is to address the nation on where the leadership of this very important arm especially the Senate President will be zoned to for stability, sustainable democracy and for total integration.
In the first place, the Muslim-Muslim ticket that almost cost the APC success at the polls has come and gone and Nigeria now has the number 1 and 2 both as Muslims if the nation is to stand those agitating for the Senate President from the North West should step down for the sake of democracy and inclusiveness as all the likely contestants from the North West are Muslims. The political crises this attempt will cause may consume the nation. If the APC truly want to rule for 16 years and even more this balance is not negotiable, it must be taken seriously and be conceded to a Christian from the South East.
ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF SOUTH EAST/SOUTH-SOUTH GEO-POLITICAL ZONE TODAY:
South-East has two APC governors (Imo and Ebonyi) and one APC Governor-elect of Ebonyi.
South-South has one APC Governor (Cross-River State) and one Governor-Elect in the same Cross-River State
South-East has produced six APC Senators-Elect in the 2023 election from five states.
While South-South has six APC Senators-Elect in 2023 from six States.
From 1999 till date, South-South has produced a Vice-president and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan, none from South-East
South-South has produced two APC National Chairmen in the persons of Chief John Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole, none from South-East
South South have produced also the National Secretary of APC in the person of Senator John Akpan Udodeghe.
South South have produced Senate Majority Leader in the person of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba
Currently, South-South has the deputy Senate President, HE Ovie Omeagege.
South-East only produced Senate President from 1999 under President Olusegun Obasanjo and nothing more till date.
Since then, South-East has not produced any other top leadership under APC.
Presently, there is a need to dilute the Peter Obi Phenomenon in the South-East.
The need to give South-East a sense of belonging since 2015 till date under APC.-
Need to douse the IPOB/ESN and general insecurity in the South-East.
South-East is in the majority in terms of population spread across the federation against the South-South.Our position is to strengthen democracy, reduce political tension, reduce security threats and keep Nigeria one.
We are not mindful of the fact that democracy is a game of numbers but we are equally mindful that Nigeria is a cosmopolitan and multi-religious state that needs special handling in the spirit of keeping the Nigerian state one.
This world press conference desires all attention and with all seriousness to avoid avoidable crises.