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From Fred Itua, Abuja
Conference of Nigeria Civil Rights Activists (CNCRA) has urged the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, to obey calls for his resignation in the interest of equity, fairness and justice.
The group in a statement, yesterday, by its Convener, Pastor Ifeanyi Odili, and Secretary, Sina Akadiri, said Adamu’s exit would ensure power balancing in the incoming government of Bola Tinubu.
It said Adamu’s resignation would pave the way for the party to assuage the feelings of Christians over the Muslim-Muslim ticket and commended the National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC, Salihu Lukman, for joining the call for the national chairman’s resignation.
Lukman in a statement titled “APC internal dynamics and the future of democracy” issued at the weekend, had called for the resignation of Adamu to give way for a Christian to lead the party.
CNCRA corroborating Lukman urged Adamu to toe the path of honour and statesmanship by tendering his letter of resignation after the governorship and House Assembly elections.
“His action would be welcomed and commended by Christians and it will also pave the way for the emergence of a ranking senator from North Central to become either the president or deputy president of the senate in the forthcoming 10th National Assembly.
“As right activists, we have watched and observed with keen interest, the recent political developments in the country and have decided to add our voice to the raging controversies over the seemingly imbalances in the polity as it affects the structure of top political offices. With the emergence of the president- elect and his vice from the South West and North-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria, it will be fair and just, for the APC to zone the National Assembly’s presiding officers’ positions to the North Central, North West, South East and the South South geopolitical zones.
“In terms of marginalisation, the popular opinion in Nigeria is that the South East and the North Central have not produced either the nation’s president or vice president since the return of democracy in 1999. The South West produced the president between 1999 and 2007 with the North East as vice president. In 2007, the North West produced the president while the South South was made the vice president for a four year tenure, expected to terminate in 2011. However, the South South vice president had to complete the tenure of his principal who died in 2010. He was later elected president from 2011 to 2015. The North West took over power again from 2015 to date with the South West as vice president.
“It is now clear that the race for the position of the senate presidency should be between the North Central and South East which has never produced either the president or vice president. We therefore urge the National Chairman of APC, Senator Adamu Abdullahi, to step aside as a man of honour, and lead the campaign for the emergence of a presiding officer of the senate from the North Central.”
