• Drums support for Akpabio

From Joe Effiong, Uyo

A socio-political organisation, the Coalition of South-South Community for United Nigeria, Justice and Equity, has appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and senators-elect to zone the Senate President to the South-South for the sake of equity, justice and fairness.

Addressing the press on Monday in Uyo, the chairman of the Coalition, Mr Eseme Eyiboh
said that Sen. Godswill Akpabio is highly qualified to be the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.

Eyiboh, who is the APC candidate for Eket/Esit Eket/Onna/Ibeno federal constituency, said that Sen Akpabio has the capacity and pedigree to occupy the office of the Senate President.

He called on the APC, the President-elect, the Vice president-elect and Senators-elect to ensure that the Senate President emerges from the South-South.

“Since 1999 we have had a model that where the president goes is where the S
Senate President and speaker go. The South-South that produces the oil has not been part of the priority list of the government.

“We are united by this demand, appeal and request to the APC, president-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, the Vice President-elect and Senators-elect that the position of Senate President should be zoned to the South-South.

“It is a request to the APC, the President-elect, Asiwaju Tinubu, and all the well-meaning Nigerians that the Senate Presidency should be zoned to the South-South.

“The reasons are very clear. Since 1999, the position of the Senate President has always been occupied by one region.

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“So, if we follow the model of what has been going on in this country each time the Senate Presidency comes to southern Nigeria, it is usually micro-zoned to the South East.

“South East has had uninterrupted Senate Presidency five times.

“His Excellency Adolphos Wagbara from Abia State, Evans Enwerem from Imo State, Chuba Okadigbo from Anambra State, Pius Anyim from Ebonyi State and Ken Nnamani from Enugu State.

“The position has been distributed to five southeastern states; so, now the senate president coming to the South cannot go to the South West because the president of the federal republic of Nigeria is from the South West. The natural place, if we mean zoning, should go to is the South-South.

“What an average Nigeria is looking, for now, is strong institutions not strong individuals, sustainable development goals and we need somebody who has the pedigree and capacity to actualize that for a united Nigeria. That person is here in the South-South.

“We are presenting Sen. Godswill Akpabio, for this position; without a doubt, we seek the support of all.” The coalition chairman’s reason.

Eyiboh said that Akpabio, who is the former governor of Akwa Ibom, former senate minority leader and the immediate past Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, has the ability to galvanise the executive and the legislature for the betterment of the country.

Other members of the Coalition present members l at the press conference were; Mr Gabriel Edi – Cross River, Mr Kassim Afegbua – Edo, Mr Kamote Egbirin – Bayelsa, Mr Tamuno Green-Rivers, Mrs Rosemary Ohsio-Ogbeniyi – Delta, Dr Martins Udoinyang, Dr Emaeyak Ukpong and Mr Ubokutom Nyah.