Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June this year, the leader of Arewa Summit International (ASI) Dr Bashir Lamido, has appealed to the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the current Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu was given the senate presidency slot of the 10th National Assembly.
Lamido in a chat with Journalists on Wednesday in Abuja urged Tinubu to show political maturity by embracing accommodating the regions and tripod of Nigeria ( Hausa, Igbo , Yoruba).
He added that it would amount to clear injustice and persecution of the South East if the region was denied the Senate President slot
“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,” Lamido said.
Recalling that the last time a Southwest man was elected president of Nigeria, a Northeast man was also his deputy while Southeast men were elected Senate Presidents, he noted that history has repeated itself with the emergence of Southwest and Northeast persons as President and Vice President-elect.
“I am confident of Senator Kalu’s capability and leadership dexterity. He won’t betray Senator Tinubu and the APC. Tinubu should support him for the sake of equity and justice.
It is important 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 Kalu including taking bullets for promoting the Tinubu/Shettima ticket. The party should remember the 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, I am appealing to the conscience of the leaders of APC to elevate national integration above partisan affiliation for the overall interest of our dear nation by supporting Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to emerge as the next Senate President.”
