A group, Justice and Equity Forum, has urged the leadership of the Ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone principal offices of the upper chamber of the National Assembly amongst the six geopolitical zones in the country to ensure balance, equity and justice, saying that the position of the Deputy Senate President should be zoned to the South East.
The group stated that former governor of Abia state and the Senator-elect for Abia North Senatorial district, Orji Uzor Kalu remained the best Senator from the South-eastern Nigeria to occupy the position of the Deputy Senate President in the 9th National Assembly.
According to the group, “The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senators elected under the platform of the ruling party should go through the consultation and final process of selecting the leadership of the Senate, we the Justice and Equity Forum (JEF), wishes to appeal to the stakeholders to call for zoning of the principal offices amongst the six geopolitical zones in a manner that would ensure balance, equity and justice.”
In a statement to journalists in Lagos, Wednesday, signed by the group’s national coordinator, Ikenna Ahumibe, it noted that Kalu’s dedication towards the building of the APC, the success of the Buhari administration was obvious for all to see.
The group stated that Kalu possessed the required experience to occupy the position, having been a successful business man, recognised and respected across the country, stressing that the position would afford him the opportunity to further build the APC in South-eastern Nigeria.
“We believe that making Kalu the Deputy Senate President would not be out of place. Since his entry into APC, Kalu has devoted his energy and resources towards promoting the party’s political interests and agenda; and becoming the deputy Senate president would further provide him the platform to achieve more, especially in terms of making APC rooted in the South East geopolitical zone of the country,” the group said.
“Apart from his unassuming commitment to the reintegration of the south east into Nigeria’s mainstream politics through the APC, Kalu has equally proven himself as an outstanding detribalised Nigerian leader,” it added.
“We strongly believe that if elected, Kalu will ensure that all Nigerians, irrespective of where they come from, partake in the envisaged change the country desires,” the group concluded.
Iniobong Iwok
