The competition for the Senate presidency has entered a new phase, with concerns raised by senators-elect from the South-East region regarding an alleged plot to exclude their zone. During a meeting in Abuja, eleven out of the fifteen South-East senators rejected the purported endorsement of Godswill Akpabio and cautioned President-elect Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) against injustice.
In a communique issued after the meeting, the senators expressed their disappointment with the actions of individuals with vested interests who have positioned themselves around President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intending to marginalize the South-East from the Senate presidency. They argued that given the strategic denial of the presidential ticket to the South-East during the general election, the position of Senate presidency should be awarded in the interest of justice and fairness.
The communique emphasized that the South-East boasts experienced and influential senators-elect, including members of the APC, who possess the necessary qualities to lead the Red Chamber. It called on the APC to uphold the principles of natural justice and equity it espouses by zoning the Senate presidency to the South-East. The senators urged President Tinubu to extend the same democratic opportunity he received during the APC Presidential Primaries to all aspirants and consider the grave implications of endorsing a candidate from the South-South without regard for the South-East.
The senators implored the President to be mindful of the prevailing situation in Nigeria and ensure the country thrives on the principles of equity, unity, and fairness among the Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba ethnic groups and the geopolitical zones. They highlighted the division caused by the exclusion of the South-East, which contributed to the low number of votes received by the APC in the region. Granting the South-East the opportunity to produce the next Senate President was seen as a means to compensate and restore confidence in the unity of the country.
The communique emphasized the need for the APC to transcend primordial and political interests, embrace inclusivity, and strive for a united, progressive, and just democratic nation. The senators appealed to President Tinubu to address the outcry of marginalization by the South-East and the entire Igbo community, as this would contribute to national harmony. They noted that the South-East has been denied the chance to produce the President of Nigeria since 1966, while other regions have occupied key positions of power.
Concluding the communique, the senators announced their collective resolution to support South-East aspirants from the APC. They also expressed their commitment to engage in negotiations with other like-minded senators-elect to rally around the South-East and ensure justice, fairness, and the unity of the country prevail.
In addition to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who read the communique, prominent senators present at the meeting included Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Victor Umeh, and Osita Izunaso, among others.
