As debate for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly rages on, Northwest Progressive Forum (NPF) and partners have lauded President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reserved non-committal, while insisting that Northwest deserved the position.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Sunday, NPF convener, Nasir Dambatta said NPF and it’s associates from the South-south and the Southeast zones met and reviewed the developments regarding the debate on which of Nigeria’s two regional blocks should produce the next Senate President.
He said the conference, after reviewing developments in the country amidst regional permutations for the Senate presidency and other key National Assembly positions, taking cognizance of claims that some of the contenders have been anointed, remained unperturbed.
“We are not bothered by these permutations as they are already part of our democratic culture. We note especially the twist taken by the debates that has potentially pitched the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu against the Northern region, which gave him the most votes in the February election. The North generally played a vital role in the electoral victory of Asiwaju and the All Progressives Congress. The Northwest is on record as providing the highest percentage of votes of over 30% over and above every other geopolitical zone in the country.
“It is noteworthy to recall that Asiwaju Tinubu scored a total of 8.79 million broken down into: Northwest: 30.0%, Southwest: 25.9%, North Central: 20.0%, Northeast: 13.5%, South south: 9.10%, Southeast: 1.45%. We find it ridiculous, therefore, that even a zone that contributed a meagre 1.45% is finding it convenient to seek the Senate presidency,” he said.
Dambatta highlighted a number of resolutions reached at the meeting which include commending the mature and reserved silence of the President-elect Tinubu in the face of the mounting pressure of the moment.
He called on the President-elect to resist the temptation to be unduly dragged into a situation that will pitch him against the interest of his most reliable ally, the North and especially the Northwest.
“We call on regional agitators from the South to reconsider their position and embrace the decent rule of fairness and balance, which gives the North and indeed the Northwest, the legitimacy to claim the Senate presidential slot. We call on the APC, the President-elect and all critical stakeholders everywhere in the country to eschew personal interest and accept that the North and especially Northwest is most eligible for the number three position, which is also the second functional office after the presidency,” Dambatta said.
The statement was jointly signed by Convener, Nasir Dambatta; South south Chairman of Advocates for Justice & Fairness, Moses Ekpeyong; Coordinator of New Era Democrats Assembly, Ifeanyi James; and Leader of Gender Advocates League, Fatima Mohammed.
