Lucky Obukohwo ReportingÂ
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and former Commissioner for Information, Edo State, Kassim Afegbua has asked those agitating that the slot of the Senate President be zoned to the South East region of the country to shelve the idea, saying, that position is not their birthrights.
This was contained in a statement personally signed and made available to newsmen in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
He said the position of the senate president has been held for so many years by the zone, and should not just contemplate have it this time around.
“The South-East zone has had the opportunity to produce Five Senate Presidents in the last twenty four years of this democracy: Senators Enwerem, Okadigbo, Wabara, Anyim and Nnamani.
“They all at different times held that exalted office in the present democratic dispensation.
“The South-East geopolitical zone should look else where to seek other positions and not that of Senate Presidency.
“This position should naturally be ceded to the South-South zone.
“Even in the past Republics, the South-East had the privilege of presiding over the Senate: Nnamdi Azikiwe and Nwafor Orizu.
“They have had their fair share of that position, and should now allow the South-South zone the opportunity to occupy it.
“In this present democratic journey, the South-South geopolitical zone has never had the privilege of being Senate President”, Afegbua said.
The former Commissioner said history has always proven that the South -South region has always given the highest votes when compared to the South East who is currently drumming for the position to be zoned to them.
“The South-South geopolitical zone deserves the position of the Senate Presidency in the 10th Assembly for various reasons. One, it will be a way of acknowledging the support of the zone towards the Tinubu presidency.
“The zone did not only contribute enormous votes that helped the APC candidate defeat other candidates; it actually surpassed the 25% threshold in the entire six states of the South-South geopolitical zone.
“It is natural in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice to cede the position to the zone that is a treasure base of the country.
“Also, it is a way to promote political inclusion, constructive engagement and collective bargaining in the process of deepening democracy in Nigeria.
“It bears repeating to state and emphasize that the South-East geopolitical zone has had the opportunity to produce FIVE Senate Presidents in the last twenty four years of this democratic journey already; plus, the abysmal outcome of the APC in this 2023 General elections in the South-East zone does not support granting the zone the opportunity of such recognition.
“The total votes recorded in the presidential election result by the APC from the South- East were nothing to write home about.
“There was an outright conspiracy that decimated the votes for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, in that zone; even though, Senators were still able to rake in votes that made them victorious at the election.
“While the votes for the now President-elect were abysmally low, it is curious how Senators still emerged with greater number of votes.
“It is most difficult to reconcile their Presidential and Senatorial election results”, Afegbua maintained.
While also driving his claims, he told Truth Live News that the South East have had their fair share of that position, and should now allow the South-South zone the opportunity to occupy it.
According to him “In this present democratic journey, the South-South geopolitical zone has never had the privilege of being Senate President.
“Furthermore, despite its huge strategic importance both politically and economically as the treasure base of the country, it has still not been accorded that prestige”, Afegbua lamented.