Senate presidency tussle: Group hails Tinubu’s silence amidst pressure

 

A conference of North-west Progressive Forum(NPF) and regional partners has hailed the President-elect ,Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reserved non-committal as the debate for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly rages.

While briefing journalists in Kaduna on Sunday, the Conference convener, Nasir Dambatta said the NPF and associates from  the South-South and the Southeast zones met  and reviewed developments regarding the debate on which of Nigeria's two regional blocks should produce the next Senate President. 

Dambatta said the conference, after reviewing developments in the country regarding the regional permutations for the Senate presidency and other key National Assembly positions, has also  taken cognisance of claims that some of the contenders have been "anointed". 

"We are, however not bothered by these permutations as they are already part of our democratic culture.We note especially the twist taken by the debates that has potentially pitched the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu against the Northern region, which gave him the most votes in the February election," the conference noted. 

It stressed the importance of pointing that the North generally played a vital role in the electoral victory of  Asiwaju and the  All Progressives Congress(APC).

In particular, the Conference noted that the North-west was  on record as providing the highest percentage of votes of over 30%  over and above every other geopolitical zone in the country.

"It is noteworthy to recall that Asiwaju Tinubu scored a total of  8.79 million broken down into: -North West: 30.0%, -South West: 25.9%, -North Central: 20.0%, -North East: 13.5%,-South South: 9.10%, -South East: 1.45%.

"We find it ridiculous, therefore, that even a zone that contributed a meagre 1.45% is finding it convenient to seek the Senate presidency."

Dambatta then highlighted a number of resolutions reached at the meeting which included commending the mature and reserved silence of the President-elect, Tinubu in the face of the mounting pressure of the moment, "which we hold as golden."

It then called on the President-elect to resist the temptation to be unduly dragged into a situation that will pitch him against the interest of his most reliable ally, the North and especially the North-west.

"We call on regional agitators from the South to reconsider their position and embrace the decent rule of fairness and balance, which gives the North-west and indeed the North-west, the legitimacy to claim the Senate presidential slot.

"We finally call on the President-elect and the APC and all critical stakeholders everywhere in the country to eschew personal , parochial interest and accept that the North and especially North-west is most eligible for the No. 3 position, which is also the second functional office after the presidency," Dambatta said. 

The text of the  press briefing was jointly signed by Nasir Dambatta, Convener; Moses Ekpeyong, South-south Chairman of Advocates for Justice & Fairness; Ifeanyi James Coordinator of New Era Democrats Assembly; and Fatima Mohammed of the Gender Advocates League.