Seventy-seven non-serving Senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have vowed to mobilise critical stakeholders to ensure the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin, as the Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively of the 10th National Assembly.
The Convener of the group, Senator Basheer Lado, made the vow during a meeting with Senators Akpabio and Barau in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade; Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume; former Senate President Ame Ebute, and Senator Barnabas Gemade were among dignitaries and non-serving Senators present at the meeting.
Lado, in his welcome address, said the APC Non-Serving Senators Group has risen to 77 members that were committed to the cause of ensuring the emergence of Akpabio and Barau as presiding officers of the 10th Senate.
He reiterated the call of the group on Senators-elect still jostling for the position of Senate President and Deputy Senate President of the incoming 10th Senate, to jettison their aspirations and support Akpabio and Barau.
LEADERSHIP reports that the national leadership of the governing APC had last week announced Akpabio and Barau as preferred candidates for the two presiding offices in the 10th Senate.
Lado said: “As we are all aware, the APC NWC has endorsed the candidature and aspiration of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President and Senator Barau Jibril as Deputy Senate President.
“As politicians and beneficiaries of Nigeria’s Democracy, we believe that the continued consolidation of Nigeria’s political maturity can only be sustained through Peace, Stability, Unity and Progress of the constituents that make up the entire country.
“Our support for the candidature of Senator Godswill Akpabio from the South as Senate President and Senator Barau Jibrin from the North as Deputy Senate President indeed is to strike the needed political balance, ethnicity and religious diversity of Nigeria as one indivisible nation.
“As critical stakeholders, we assure the leadership of the APC, The President-Elect, The Vice President Elect, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibril of our unflinching commitment and support towards the actualization of this objective.
“We therefore respectfully, once again appeal to other aspirants to step down their ambition in the interest of National Unity,Peace, National Stability of Nigeria and Party cohesion.
“We believe strongly,Senator Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibril at the helm of affairs in the 10th assembly will further compliment the administration of Distinguished Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima in delivering good governance and democratic dividends, to all Nigerians.”
Also, speaking at the solidarity meeting, Governor Ayade, who is a former member of the Senate, said: “We stand with Senator Akpabio and Jibrin as leadership of the 10th Senate. Our Constitution makes provision for separation of powers. The APC isn’t imposing any group on the Legislature. The leadership of this party by 29 May will be under Asiwaju. He is the president and he has made decision.
“The least we can do is to honour him. Nigeria is the leader of Africa and the world is watching. What is going to happen in the Senate would be taken as reflection of Africa politics. Our people can’t afford to watch a macabre dance. We must have a seamless transition.
“The independence of the legislature is guaranteed in the Constitution but it is derived from the Executive. Leadership takes time to mature, let us support the nominees of Mr. President (elect). I always support somebody with capacity and I know that Akpabio has the capacity, let us move away from the emotional calculation on what my zone is going to get. It isn’t just enough to endorse him but we must approach our brothers who are still insisting that they must contest. Let us show them love. It is love that drives away hate.”
For his part, Akpabio sought the prayers of the non-serving Senators, saying mere endorsement from their group was not enough.
He also called for support of the incoming Tinubu administration, declaring that under the new dispensation, Nigeria’s debts will be paid off.
“I am excited that God is keeping all of you alive. This is a family and I am very proud to belong to this family. I want to also appeal that you not only endorse us but support us with your prayers because what I am seeing out there is that it is a war, but I see it as a storm in a tea cup.
“For me, the priorities are very clear: an all-inclusive Senate that will work for Nigeria, that we will all be proud of.
We must support the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Under Tinubu, we can pay our debts,” Akpabio stated.
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