Politics
Senators push for S’East dep Senate president as scramble for post intensifies
A case has been made for the role of Deputy Senate President to be ceded to the South East, so that all regions will be carried along in the composition of the incoming Ninth Assembly.
The plea was made by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator from the South East, Chukwuka Utazi, who said it would be unfair to leave out the entire South East in the scheme of things.
While speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Utazi, who heads the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, the famous 97 versus five percent must not be repeated going forward.
“In a contest, there must be a winner. Elections are over and this is the time to bring everyone together. Leaving out the entire South East in sharing of positions in the National Assembly is not in the interest of the country.
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“I think the APC should even carry the South East along so that next time, they will have the legitimacy to ask for votes in the area. To just shut them out as if they don’t matter is unfair.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. The South East is an important part of Nigeria and it cannot be ignored. This is part of the things we have been clamouring for. We have spoken against the marginalisation of the South East. It breeds unnecessary bad blood and I think we don’t need that again in this country.”
Utazi’s call was also echoed by another PDP senator-elect who pleaded not to be named, who said the ruling APC should adopt the power sharing formula and zoning arrangements of his party.
According to him, when the PDP held sway for 16 years, no geopolitical zone was deliberately left out.
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