…Drums support for Barau as Deputy Senate President
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
An All Progressives Congress (APC) group under the auspices of Concerned APC Members Forum, has joined the league of party members urging stakeholders to go for national competence and federal character in deciding who emerges the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.
The group equally drums support for the zoning of the position of Deputy Senate President (DSP) of the 10th Assembly to the North-West and micro-zoning the position to the Senator representing Kano North Senatorial District, Barau Jibrin.
The convener of the forum, Okpokwu Ogeni, made the appeal during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, begging President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC Progressives Governor’s Forum (PGF) and the state chairmen of the party to ensure government of national competence.
“As loyal party men and women, we have studied the Constitution of our party, and its manifesto which does not preach religion, ethnicity, and tribal dichotomy, but competence. It emphasises affirmative action for youths, women, and people living with disabilities while providing qualitative leadership for Nigerians.
“Our party has won the 2023 general elections with a landslide against all odds, due to the acceptability and competence of our presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima alongside our governors, National and state Assembly members-elect.
“It is a fact that for the executive arm of government to perform maximally, it must work with the legislature professionally to ensure dividends of democracy to the teaming population of Nigerians. We understand that the business of legislature is highly professional because it deals with law-making and financial appropriation, its leadership must be able, ready, and willing to support Mr. President in the governance of the country.
“We believe that, the party’s role in the National Assembly leadership is to ensure the emergence of a competent senator who has distinguished himself over the years, devoid of religious and tribal sentiment, a pan-Nigerian who has been tested and trusted, proven worthy of integrity, character and prudent management.
“As believers in the Nigerian project, our appeal to the party is to consider federal character in the zoning of the 10th senate leadership bearing in mind, competence and credibility with an understanding that Nigeria is a circular state with multi-faith and six geo-political zones.
“We wish to remind you the leadership of our party that, the President-elect is from the South West, and the Vice President-elect is from the North East, as such, the Senate President should be zoned to the South-South and the Deputy Senate President to the North West while the speaker of the House of Representatives and deputy should be accommodated by the other zones in view of competence and credibility of Honourable members,” the group appealed.
Making further demands, concerned Forum, noted: “The President-elect needs highly competent senators with vast knowledge of legislative business to complement him in delivering dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
“To this end, we have gone ahead in shopping for highly competent, ranking Senators who shall work assiduously with the President-elect and members of the National Assembly to ensure stability and prudent financial appropriation and law-making for the overall interest of the country as the President and Deputy President of the 10th Senate.
“Although, we have watched with keen interest, the agitations from the various geo-political zones clamouring to produce the Senate President. We have also studied their request and concluded that APC as a national party should consider federal character considering the six geo-political zones and the circular nature of the country for even distribution of key government positions.
“We are aware that zoning is not done in a vacuum, so we highly recommend Barau Jibrin as Deputy Senate President. This will go a long way in building the confidence of APC members across the country in preparation for the future of our great party, the APC,” the group said.
Appealing to President-elect, Tinubu, the group said: “We sincerely appeal to the National Chairman of our great party, Abdullahi Adamu, and his National Working Committee members to zone the Deputy Senate President to the North West, preferably micro-zoned to Kano State to pave way for the most ranking Senators Barau Jibrin to emerge as the Deputy Senate President of the 10th Senate.
“We unequivocally call on the Tinubu, the PGF and the State chairmen of our party to implement a government of national competence by supporting the zoning of the Deputy to the North West,” Okpokwu said.