An Igbo social-cultural organization, assemblage of youths in various clans and communities of Igbo extraction both home and in diaspora, known for promoting National unity and peace “Igbo Youth Assembly Worldwide” has Backs Senator Godswill Akpabio For the 10th Senate Presidency and maintained that he Akpabio is the most qualified candidate for the office of Senate President.
At a press conference in Enugu, the president General, Honourable Casmir and Secretary, Comrade Chidi Leo Chielo, said there is the need to allow the South-South geo-political zone to produce the president of the Senate.
IYA Worldwide said, “We have examined the leadership credentials of senators -elect from the South-South zone that have the competence and experience to progressively pilot the affairs of the Senate of the 10th National Assembly.
They argued that over the years, Akpabio has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, vision, and experience that are crucial in leading the Nigerian Senate.
“Our wide-ranging and robust consultations revealed that Senator Godswill Akpabio is the right senator-elect with the competence, national acceptability and political experience to effectively pilot the Senate to greater heights.
Senator Akpabio being a former minority leader of the Senate under the PDP and now to be president of the Senate under the APC, can be a true unifier; he can be the rallying point of all the senators and a formidable bridge between the executive and the legislature, having also been a former governor and minister.
READ ALSO : Senate Presidency: Tinubu Rejects APC NWC Push For Micro-zoning To South-South, Insists On Entire South
“And the best person to perform this role effortlessly is Senator Godswill Akpabio. This is one of the leadership qualities that have continued to stand him out over the years,” the statement quoted him as saying.
We are, therefore, using this medium to also call on all patriotic senators-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to support and vote massively for Akpabio to emerge as the Senate president of the 10th Senate for the betterment of the country,” he said.
The said the South South zone has not been given the opportunity to produce the Senate president since the return of democratic rule in 1999. IYA Worldwide maintained.
But making the case for Akpabio, the Igbo youths, said zoning the Senate presidency of the 10th Senate to the South-South zone will foster national unity and engender a true sense of belonging to the people of the geopolitical zone.
They said, “It will also drastically reduce the usual acrimony that characterises such struggle for power among the geo-political zones, thereby, reducing unnecessary distractions for the peaceful and smooth take-off of the new dispensation under the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Currently, Senator Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom is the only ranking senator from the South South that is a member of the 10th National Assembly.
Based on Senate standing rules, only ranking members of the upper legislative chamber are eligible to contest for the positions of the President and Deputy President of the Senate respectively.
“Our call to zone the Senate Presidency of the 10th Senate to the South -South is also strengthened by the fact that the APC got more than 25 percent votes in each of the six South-South states, irrespective of the fact that before now, it had been known as the stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We believe that Senator Akpabio being elected as the senate president will bring stability, progress, and prosperity to Nigeria’s Senate. Let us not relent in our efforts to make this dream a reality for the betterment of our beloved country and its citizens”.
