Leaders across political parties, groups and association in Abuja on Thursday advanced reasons why a northerner must emerge President of the 10th Senate.
Coming under the aegis of Concern Political Leaders, the politicians went ahead to admonish contenders for the position of Senate President from the southern part of the country to step down for a northern aspirant.
The body narrowed down their northern candidate preference to a two terms former governor of Zamfara State, Sen. Abdul Aziz Yari.
Addressing a press conference at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja on behalf of group was two times (2015 and 2019) presidential candidate of the Green Party, Chief. Charles Eke.
Justifying reasons for a norther senate president, the group said the northern region cannot be dispensed with in the political equation of Nigeria having secured about 80 percent of the above eight million votes scored by President Bola Tinubu to win the 2023 presidential election.
“It is not rocket science to understand that Nigeria is seriously divided, the magnitude of mistrust and fear has reached its crescendo. The 2023 election has gone, the fallout has been very troubling and there remain the question of national acceptance with over 15 Million Nigerians voted against our President and our President was able to ganner 8 million plus votes with over 80% coming from the Northern states.
“The northern states have made an uncommon sacrifice to keep Nigeria one, the task of keeping Nigeria requires sacrifices from all Nigerians and indeed all geo-political zones so that we can have a true sense of nationhood.
“Just before the 2015 general election, some of our northern brothers made a compelling case that the north deserved to complete the lost time of the Late President Yar’ Adua whose death brought in Jonathan who spent a little over 6 years as President.
“However in 2023, in another development the Northern Leadership and the Northern state governors declared their total support for the emergence of a southern Presidential candidate for the ruling APC “
The Concern Political Leader warn Tinubu to avoid banana peels by not listening to those pressurizing him to back a southern senate president.
“We will advise those who are pushing the executive arm to use Presidential powers to install a southern Senate President to restrain themselves before they destroy whatever goodwill our President could enjoy from the Northern part of Nigeria.
“This country needs maturity and statesmen to steer the project Nigeria. We can not push the government to take false steps because our selfish interests and plunge the country into a destructive pathway.
“Based on the forgoing, we the members of the various political parties leadership are calling on all Southern people vying for the office of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly to step down and give support to the Northern candidates for the peaceful coexistence all Nigerians without anyone taking undue advantage against the others because of temporary advantage which was created by the very people who are made to appear as if they are fools, looking at the level of sacrifice they have severally made to keep Nigeria one,” the group said.
Narrowing down on Yari, the body said the Nigerian Project requires the 3cs; Connection, Commitment and Collectiveness.
“As we speak among the contenders from the North the former Governor of Zamfara State stands out.
“He has sterling qualities. He has the strong connections across the 36 states and understand the nuances of the nation.
“His experience and carrier in politics on the political terrain spanned over two decades and half stating with when in 1999 he served as secretary of All Peoples Party (APP) between 1999 and 2023 after which he was elected chairman of APP then ANPP Zamfara State in 2023.
“He later rose to the position of National Financial Secretary of the ANPP where he served till 2007 when I was elected as member representing Anka/Talatan Mafara Ferderal constituency from 2007 to 2011.
He was elected Governor of Zamfara State on the platform of ANPP when I defeated the incumbent Governor Mahmuda Shinkafi and in 2015 he was re elected.
“He was also elected chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum by his colleagues Governors,” the concerned politicians said.
By Tunde Opalana
