10th Senate: Group Backs Akpabio, Warns Against Ignoring Opposition Parties

The Northern Democratic Agenda (NDA) has called on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to immediately consult other like-minds in the opposition parties with the view of presenting candidates with high credibility and capacity to stabilise the 10th National Assembly.

It stressed that there will be a repeat of both 2011 and 2015 experiences in the election National Assembly leadership should the APC fails to put its house in order.

The group further stated that the most ideal geopolitical zone in the country to present the President of the 10th Senate is the South-South and that Senator Godswill Akpabio should be anointed given his friendship across political party divides as well as his dexterity and strong character, which are attributes expected of the headship of the next National Assembly.

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National President of the group, Turaki Yakubu, told journalists that only a popular candidate will deter the opposition from altering the APC arrangement of who and where the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives should come from.

Yakubu expressed concerns while making reference to an interview granted by a Member of the House of Representatives-elect, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin of NNPP from Kano State, who said the opposition will also pick a candidate to support should the APC fails to present a popular and most acceptable candidate.

Hon Jibrin spoke on a television interview last Wednesday.

Speaking further against the backdrop of the Hon. Jibrin interview, the group’s President maintained that, “We had made this position shortly after the Presidential and National Assembly elections and we called on the APC to be careful with the opposition. Today we vindicated by that interview and I think Honourable Jibrin made that revelations because he has soft spots for the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the need for the President-elect to have a rancour-free National Assembly, otherwise he won’t say this and we honestly commend him for that patriotic position.”

The group further stated that Senator Akpabio having served as Akwa Ibom State governor, Federal Minister and former Minority Leader of the Senate, presents him with the requisite experience to navigate and ensure that the Executive respects the National Assembly as well as the National Assembly ensuring that appointed ministers and Heads of agencies do what is right.

“We are interested in what is the best for Nigeria and we have the confidence that of all those who have indicated interest in the number three position, Senator Akpabio stands tallest on many fronts including zoning, experience and competence.

“We are not saying others don’t matter, we are simply saying at the moment, an Akpabio, a very flexible leader is in the category of Senator David Mark and we see traces of similarities in the both of them, hence our conclusion and appeal that for the purpose of stability and mutual respect between the three arms of the Government, it will be very appropriate to pick the right person for the job.

“We have raised a lobby team to speak to Senators and we are making this appeal to the APC leadership to apply tact and wisdom in approaching this matter so that all the parties will be on the same page for the good and interest of the generality of Nigerians,” he added.

The group appealed to the ruling party to lobby patriotic Governors such as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Akwa Ibom State Governor Emmanual Udom, his Enugu, Imo, Abia counterparts and many others including serving ministers in order for them to achieve this aim of getting somebody like Akpabio to head the 10th National Assembly.

The group also advised the leadership of the ruling party to speak with the leader and presidential candidate of the NNPP, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as well as the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, stressing that “this is no longer politics, this is going to be about Nigeria and we must bring all hands on the deck.”