In the midst of recent political developments leading up to Tuesday’s election of presiding officers for the 10th National Assembly, Hon. Yekini Nabena, former Acting National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has emphasized the significance of the South-South geo-political zone in producing the next Senate President. Nabena’s comments come as the Good Governance Support Group for Godswill Obot Akpabio urges Senators-elect within the APC to prioritize party supremacy when selecting presiding officers.
During a press conference held on Monday in Abuja, the group, comprising notable individuals such as Dr. John Harry, Hon. Patty Etete, and Senator Clever Ikisikpo, highlighted Senator Akpabio’s extensive consultations and ongoing efforts in reaching out to key stakeholders.
Dr. Harry expressed gratitude to the APC for allocating the office of Senate President to the South-South region and called on all elected APC Senators to respect the party’s supremacy in this crucial endeavor.
Addressing concerns that Akpabio had not engaged with Senators-elect from his own South-South zone, Hon. Etete dismissed such notions, affirming that several Senators from the region were present at the group’s inaugural meeting. He further explained that Akpabio had initiated consultations within the South-South, and the group of ex-legislators led by former Deputy Speaker Babangida Nguroje had reached out to Senators-elect on his behalf.
Senator Ikisikpo, a member of the former Senators’ Forum, revealed that he and his colleagues were individually engaging with Senators-elect to secure Akpabio’s emergence as Senate President on Tuesday. He stressed the importance of individual conversations, stating that speaking with Senators-elect on a one-on-one basis yielded better results compared to a collective meeting.
Religious balancing in the leadership structure of the National Assembly was another aspect highlighted by Nabena. In response to the recent intervention by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, where two major contenders withdrew from the Speakership race, Nabena argued that having both the Vice President, the Speaker, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and the Senate President from the North simultaneously would not promote equity.
Nabena, hailing from Bayelsa, asserted that the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the President and Vice President was a genuine factor that should be taken into account when rallying support for Senator Godswill Akpabio, the sole candidate from the South-South, as the next Senate President. He emphasized the need for religious balance in the government and stressed that if the Senate President position eluded the South-South, the region would be left out of the equation.
Citing the current allocation of key positions, Nabena pointed out that the South West produced the President, the North-east has the Vice President, the North-west is likely to produce the Speaker (noting that all three positions are held by Muslims), the North Central has the SGF, and the South East is expected to produce the Deputy Speaker. He posed the question, “So, where is the South-South?”
Nabena appealed to the North to forgive any past wrongs committed by Senator Akpabio, urging them to consider national unity and religious harmony by supporting his bid for the Senate Presidency.
As the political landscape unfolds, the South-South geo-political zone continues to assert its claim to the Senate Presidency, emphasizing the need for equitable representation and religious balance in Nigeria’s political leadership.
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