A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has appealed to all the Senators-elect to rally round Senator Godswill Akpabio to emerge the next President ahead of Tuesday’s election of presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly.
Nabena in a statement issued Monday said with the decision of the two major contenders for the position of Speaker, Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu and Yusuf Gagdi to shelve their ambition and declared support for Hon. Tajudeen Abbas endorsed by the party, saying for the sake of equity and justice, senators-elect should support Akpabio.
He stressed that the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket of the President and the Vice President was another genuine factor that should be considered and support the only candidate from the South-south as the next Senate President because Nigeria is a secular state.
The APC Chieftain said, therefore, there was a need for religious balancing in government and for the fact that only South-south will be left out of the equation if the position of Senate President eluded the region.
He noted that it has become clearer that the North can not have both the Vice President, the Speaker, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Senate President at the same time.
Nabena said: “Hence, the more reason Senators-elect should rally support for Senator Godshill Akpabio as the next Senate President.
“For the sake of equity, justice and fairness, I will appeal to all the Senators-elect to rally round Akpabio to emerge the next President.
“This has become necessary because the two major contenders in the race for the position of Speaker have withdrawn and declared their support for Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, which means that the road is almost clear for the emergence of another Muslim from the North as number four citizen.”