Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June this year, a group known as Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities for Better Nigeria (CENBN) has appealed to the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the Southeast geopolitical zone was given the senate presidency slot of the 10th National Assembly.
In a statement signed by the Director, Media and Strategy, Dr. Yusuf Umaru and available to newsmen after its executive meeting, the group urged Tinubu to should show political maturity by embracing all parts of the country irrespective of their political inclinations in the last elections.
The group added that it would amount to clear injustice and persecution of the zone if the region was denied the slot.
“It was understandable that the region did not meet the standing rules of the Senate to produce Senate President in 2015 and 2019 because there was no high ranking Senator of APC extraction from the zone but the reality has changed this time around because the region not only produced APC senators but also a high ranking Senator like Senator Orji Kalu with requisite experience and exposure to lead the 10th Senate later in the year”, the group stated.
Recalling that the last time a Southwest man was elected president of Nigeria, a Northeast man was also his deputy while Southeast men were elected Senate Presidents, the group noted that history has repeated itself with the emergence of Southwest and Northeast persons as President and Vice President-elect.
“Therefore, it is apt that the leadership of APC should not deny the Southeast region the opportunity on account of political differences for the sake of national integration and solidarity among ethnic nationalities.
“The party should remember the roles played by men and women of the region in Nigeria’s independence struggles as well as the fight against third-term agenda of some persons in past.
“Therefore, we appeal to the conscience of the leaders of APC to elevate national integration above partisan affiliation for the overall interest of our dear nation”, the group stated.
