Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, senators-elect from the southern part of the country are collaborating to ensure that a Senator-elect from the South is elected Senate President.

They have urged their compatriots from the South West and the northern parts of the country, as well as Muslims, not to run for the position of President of the Senate.

This was the position of the Southern Senators’ Forum (SSF), as explained by secretary of the group, Matthew Urhoghide.

Urhoghide, in an interview with Saturday Sun, said it is insensitive for people from the South West, North East and Muslims to contemplate running for the position of the President of the Senate.

Urhoghide who heads the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, said the current political climate in the country is too fragile for people to ignore some parts of the country.

The Edo lawmaker who spoke on behalf of Southern senators, said the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima are both Muslims, hence Christians should be considered for other positions.

Urhoghide said: “I think some people contesting for the position of the Senate president, Speaker of the House of Representatives and other positions in the 10th National Assembly, are taking the rest of us for a ride. How can someone from the South West where the President-elect is from be thinking of contesting for any position in the National Assembly?

“I wonder why they’re doing that. The same goes for those from North East. The vice president-elect is from there. If they’re contesting, what happens to the other four geopolitical zones? We shouldn’t consider them?

“Nigeria is more divided now than at any other time. The issue of religion and ethnicity must be considered. You can’t ignore these issues. We already have the president-elect and vice president-elect as Muslims. We can’t have another Muslim going for the office of the President of the Senate. That’s insensitive and unfair.

“Then first timers too shouldn’t be talking about vying for any positions. There are rules and principles in Parliaments across the world that only ranking members should vie. They’re just going around and talking about running. That shouldn’t happen.

“We should look at the four geopolitical zones yet to produce anything and ensure that religion and ethnicity are considered. We must not ignore competence. Whoever will come from the four geopolitical zones to occupy these positions must be competent.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and we can’t take people for granted. Nobody is more Nigerian than others. We must respect the sensibilities of other ethnic groups and religion.”

Meanwhile, strong indications have emerged that some senators-elect from the North who are battling to succeed Dr Ahmad Lawan as President of the Senate, have expressed intentions to sacrifice their ambitions in exchange for juicy committee positions and principal officers.

A lawmaker told Saturday Sun that a serving senator from the North West, who’s campaigning to succeed Lawan, has agreed to step down, with a condition that he will retain his current position as chairman of a juicy committee in the upper legislative chamber.

The source said the lawmaker who currently heads an important committee of the Senate, had already met with many senators-elect, with some alleging that some financial inducements were made to the incoming lawmakers.

Another aspiring lawmaker from the North East, has reportedly told his colleagues that if he’s assured of being appointed Leader of the 10th Senate, he will drop his Senate presidency bid.

“The lawmaker from the North West has no chance. He knows. He’s negotiating and begging that his current position as chairman of a good committee be retained. He wants to quit.

“He’s a Muslim and he has been told to discontinue his campaign. He has suspended it and is negotiating for that position. I doubt if he be will retained. That position as committee chairman may be taken to South West.

“As for the other lawmaker from the North East, he wants to be Senate Leader. He’s from the same geopolitical zone with the Vice President-elect and he can’t get it. At best, he will get a good committee as chairman,” he said. (Saturday Sun)

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