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…As support base of senators-elect hits 67
…Parliamentary stakeholders calls on Akpabio to resign
From Fred Itua, Abuja
Former Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate and senator-elect for Bauchi Central, Abdul Ahmed Ningi, on Wednesday, said there are at least 67 of his colleagues who have keyed into the aspiration of Orji Uzor Kalu and Abdulaziz Yari to emerge as Presiding Officers of the Senate
He said majority of the contenders for the Senate Presidency are working together and that discussions were ongoing among them.
This is coming, even as a parliamentary watchdog, the Coalition for Parliamentary Democracy (CPD), warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against its insistence on micro zoning the Senate Presidency to Godswill Akpabio, saying the party might inadvertently be playing into the hands of the opposition.
The group called on Akpabio to show that he has the support of his colleagues or quit the race.
Ningi who is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also tackled those who accuse Yari of trying to use money to get to office.
“Our latest count was 67 as of yesterday (Tuesday) night and more are still coming,” Ningi while addressing newsmen in Abuja.
He said: “Those who are talking about money politics should remember how they won their party primaries about six months ago from top to bottom, using money.
“When Senator Ndume made that statement, I actually was taken aback because he is experienced to know that there is no politics that money is not involved but it is not the most critical. In this campaign, it is not about money especially for our candidate.”
“Sen Sani Musa, Senator Izunaso, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Yari are together and discussions are still ongoing. We know our strategy but we are not going to disclose that,” he said.
He added: “I don’t belong to the APC but I thought the APC would have learned a lot from the mistakes of the PDP with regards to imposing leaders on the National Assembly. They should allow for the independence of the Legislature.”
On his part, senator-elect for Bauchi North, Dr Samaila Kaila, said Yari is the best man for the job.
In a message to the forum, Yari urged the senators-elect to discard any political, religious or geographical consideration and vote for him.
He said: “I am a former Member of the House of Representatives; a former Governor of Zamfara State; a former Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum:
“I am running for the position of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly, and I hereby bessech you for your collective support to win.
“I am calling on you to look beyond the clamour for zoning and religious considerations and support my aspiration to lead you inclusively as you please,” he stated.
In a statement issued Wednesday and signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Menike Johnson, the group asserted that zoning and external endorsements “are undemocratic and only promotes mediocrity, incompetence and breeds a corrupt and rubber stamp parliamentary leadership that cannot serve the interests of Nigerians’.
CPD commended senators-elect for their support for Senator Abdul’aziz Yari who it said has “exhibited the required capacity, passion and political will to run a legitimately elected Senate Presidency that will unite the nation, provide constructive partnership with the Executive in the overall interest of Nigerians”.
Johnson said the Coalition for Parliamentary Democracy has been watching the contest for the Senate Presidency with keen interest.
“We have also noted the trajectory, demonstrated capacity and acceptability of the two major contestants in the race; Senator Abdul’aziz Yari and Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“CPD in tandem with other pro-democracy organizations insists that those interested in the office of the Senate President should rather marshal their agenda to Nigerians and senators-elect and not rely on retrogressive and sectional arguments of zoning and external endorsements which is undemocratic, promotes mediocrity, incompetence and breeds a corrupt and rubber stamp parliamentary leadership that cannot serve the interest of the people”, the group said.
The CPD chief advised the APC against insisting on imposing a Senate President cautioning that “such could make it lose the position to the opposition parties which have a good number of senators-elect that could be boosted by dissatisfied element in the APC to clinch the Senate leadership”.
According to him, “such could lead to more division in the APC and create a frosty legislature/executive relationship which is not in the interest of the nation at this critical time of our national history.
“The Senate does not belong to a particular political party but to Nigerians. In the same vein Senate Leadership positions are serious positions that require capacity and willpower and not retail commodities that will be allocated on the platter of zoning.
“The CPD therefore urges the Senators-elect to assert the independence of the legislature and the Principle of the Separation of Powers in serving the interest of Nigerians by upholding competence and not zoning in the election of a new Senate President.
“Finally, the CPD counsels Senator Akpabio to step down for Senator Yari if he had nothing to offer except zoning as credentials for the very demanding office of the Senate President”, the group added.
