A group of former senators have asked the chief whip of the senate, Orji Uzor Kalu; and the former governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, to respect the supremacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and shelve their senate president bids.
Gatekeepers News reports that a former Senator Representing Kano North and Convener of the Group, Basheer Lado while speaking at a meeting on Thursday, said Godswill Akpabio’s emergence as the senate president is for the good of Nigeria.
The ruling party had nominated Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, for the position of senate president in the 10th assembly.
However, the party’s position has been resisted by a number of APC members backing the other aspirants.
Lado said political parties should not be seen as platforms for winning elections.
He said, “With senators Akpabio and Barau Jibril in charge of the 10th Senate, there is no doubt that the national assembly will provide the necessary synergy to His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to ensure that all Nigerians benefit from good governance and democratic dividends.
“We, therefore, call on all you stakeholders to support this patriotic move.
“In the interest of Nigeria’s national stability, peace, and party cohesion, we equally request once again that other aspirants withdraw their candidacies.”
Former governor of Ogun state, Olusegun Osoba, who was also present at the meeting charged all senate president hopefuls to sway them to support Akpabio.
Osoba said, “I want to appeal to you on two issues. Let us all organise a serious lobby system by convening a meeting of all aspirants for the position of senate president in 10th Senate to make them see the reason why they should toe the line of the party.
“The party has decided on zoning and has zoned the positions. We cannot afford to start this government with another crisis. The fuel subsidy removal crisis is already there.
“Let us go back to our states and lobby our senators-elect to support the choice of the party. With this, I believe we shall achieve our goal without any hitch.”
On his part, an elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai said the choice of Akpabio is easier to support.
Yakasai said, “The person is no other than one of the few among the multitudes of people we know who is privileged to occupy three important positions many of our compatriots will wish to occupy any time such an opportunity presents itself to them.
“The personality is no other than a one time governor of his state, a one time minister and presently a senator-elect of the federal republic of Nigeria–my popular, competent and amiable senator Godswill Apkabio.”
