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By: Tijani Adeyemi – Abuja
Foremost Civil Society Organisation in Nigeria, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), has advocated the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the North Central geopolitical zone in the forthcoming 10th National Assembly.
The pro-democrcy group maintained that the North Central deserved the nation’s number three position in the interest of fairness, equity and Justice.
The CD, in a statement by its General Secretary, Ifeanyi Odili, in Abuja on Thursday explained that the North Central zone had been seriously marginalized in Nigeria since 1999.
Odili said, “The North-Central has been the most marginalised in the country since 1999.
“The Zone has not produced the president nor vice president of the country, and it was only proper that the zone should be allowed to produce the next Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.
“Some people are arguing that the South-East should be favoured in the interest of fairness, equity and justice, forgetting that the North Central has suffered the worst fate since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
“The North Central being the largest zone in the country in terms of landmass, has suffered the worst form of insecurity, partly because it lacked adequate representation in the nation’s highest political hierarchy.
“The zone especially Niger State, its people are known for partisan loyalty and since 1999 accounts for the highest voting pattern for winning presidential tickets. For instance in 2015 and 2019, Niger State accounted for the highest votes in the Presidential election in North Central Geo-political zone.
“Notwithstanding the unacceptable reoccurring decimal of not receiving commensurate compensation and attention, the North Central did determined to further contribute significantly than ever before by voting more for the APC given the promises and heightened expectations from the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the presidential election with the 3rd highest vote tally amongst the zones in the country.
“There is therefore the need for a ranking senator from the zone to emerge as the next Senate President so as to effectively tackle the worsening insecurity in the North Central.
“Apart from this, the nation’s economy could be revived and transformed with appropriate legislation and the North Central has abundant natural resources that could be harnessed for economic development.
“For instance, Senator Sani Musa, has been condemning the worsening insecurity situation in the country on the floor of the Senate.
“The Senator, who hails from Niger State, one of the worst-hit states by terrorists’ activities, has consistently decried the worsening security situation in the country.
“We should not take the issue of security with levity because if we do that, it will affect development.
“Senator Musa met with President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter and the discussion at the meeting led to the declaration of the state of emergency on Security in the state.
“The Buhari administration increased funding for security agencies and purchase of modern technology to fight insecurity.
“When you look at the North Central zone, Senator Musa is the most ranking senator that should be supported by all for the position of the Senate President.
“What the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should do is to zone the office of the President of the Senate to the North Central, so as to compensate the people for their massive support and vote in the recent Presidential and National Assembly elections.
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