10th NASS: South-south Group Backs Akpabio For Senate President

Youth and stakeholders from the South/South geo- political zone has endorsed former governor of Akwa-ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio for the office of senate president come 10th National Assembly.

At a briefing in Abuja led by Chief Legborsi Yamaabana, the chairman, South-south Youth and Stakeholders’ Forum, the group said Akpabio becoming Senate President was necessary for the sake of inclusion and national integration in mainstream governance, and in line with the spirit and principle of federal character.

The group noted that law-making remains a serious business with far-reaching consequences on the people and called on the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) including the party stakeholders to cede the senate president position to South-south.

He said, “We want to assure the President-Elect, that an Akpabio’s Senate Presidency will ensure a healthy and friction-free mutually beneficial relationship between NASS and the federal government, that our collectively endorsed candidate, Sen Akpabio is experienced, equipped and a ranking Senator with deep understanding of legislative procedures & processes, clearly shows him as the square personality, for this square responsibility.

We therefore, call on the in-coming President to consider citizens of the South/South for strategic federal appointments for the sake of fairness and equity, we are appealing to stakeholders to support the South-south, whose last and only shot at the senate presidency was in 1979, when Joseph Wayas was elected under President Shehu Shagari”.

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“We have also observed with great dismay, that no South/South person is heading any of the federal parastatals like the NNPC, FIRS, EFCC, DPR, etc. We therefore, call on the in-coming President to consider citizens of the South/South for strategic federal appointments for the sake of fairness and equity.

We are disturbed by the dwindling economy of Nigeria, where the country’s external debt is threatening fiscal stability. We wish to assure Mr. President-Elect that the youths of Niger Delta will continue to play her roles of ensuring conducive environment for economic activities to thrive”, he added

The group also requested the incoming administration to take seriously, the issue of the Ogoni cleanup exercise with a view of consolidating on the gains already recorded under this administration’s vis the Ogoni water and power projects, the specialist hospital and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration.