Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June this year, a group known as Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities for Better Nigeria (CENBN) has advised the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress not to over flog the Southeast geopolitical zone on the account of the party’s poor performance in region.
In a statement released to newsmen after it’s executive meeting in Jos on Wednesday, the group said the President-elect should show political maturity by embracing all parts of the country irrespective of their political inclinations in the last elections.
Adding that it would amount to clear injustice and persecution of the zone if the Senate Presidency is denied the region.
It was understandable that the region did not meet the standing rules of the Senate to produce Senate President in 2015 and 2019 because there was no high ranking Senator of APC extraction from the zone but the reality has changed this time around because the region not only produced APC senators but also a high ranking Senator like Senator Orji Kalu with requisite experience and exposure to lead the 10th Senate later in the year.
Noting that the last time a Southwest man was elected president of Nigeria, a Northeast man was his deputy while Southeast men where elected Senate Presidents.
Accordingly, history has repeated itself with the emergence of Southwest and Northeast persons as President and Vice President-elect.
Therefore, it is apt that the leadership of APC should not deny the Southeast region the opportunity on account of political differences for the sake of national integration and solidarity among ethnic nationalities.
The party should remember the roles played by men and women of the region in Nigeria’s independence struggles as well as the fight against third-term agenda of some persons in past.
Therefore, we appeal to the conscience of the leaders of APC to elevate national integration above partisan affiliation for the overall interest of our dear nation.
