The agitation for the Senate Presidency in the forthcoming 9th Republic thickened on Saturday with a socio-political organisation, North East Advocacy Group (NEAG), demanding that the position should be zoned to the area because they have been marginalised for long.

NEAG a premised its demand on the fact that the North East geo-political zone voted massively for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 Presidential elections.

“The Senate Presidency should be zoned to the North East as the North Central and South East Zones have produced Senate Presidents in the recent past. Micro zoning to a State or individual should be avoided as it negatively affects the executive/legislative harmony and negatively affects the smooth running of government business. The will of the distinguished Senators should be respected and upheld to avoid conflicts and skirmishes between the Executive and the Legislative arms,” NEAG advised.

The organisation in a statement called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to announce the zoning formula for the principal officers of both the Senate and the House of Representatives as soon as possible.

The statement was signed by Mohammed Kumalia, Ibrahim Zailani, Senator Bashir Marafa, Adamu Modibbo, Abubakar Muazu, Titsi Ganama and Ammuna Ibrahim Khadi.

Other signatories included Emmanuel Bello, Barma Shettima, Mrs Bless Hungushi and Bala Bello Tinka.

The group said the urgent announcement of the principal officers would “avert a situation where the zoning is done after candidates have started campaigning, causing a feeling that the zoning is targetted to favour particular individuals.”

The statement reads: “The North East Zone has never produced the Senate President as this position has always been zoned to other zones, especially the North Central and South East Zones since the commencement of the current democratic dispensation in 1999.

“We therefore respectfully and humbly request the ruling party, APC to zone the position of Senate President to the North East Zone. In order to foster a harmonious working relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government, we also wish to draw the attention of the party and the executive arm of government to allow the Senators to exercise their constitutional right to choose a Senate President of their choice.

“This is to avert the experience in the past where a candidate who seems to be the preferred choice of the party is rejected by the Senators leading to the election of another candidate who ends up being hostile to the government of the day. The 2015 experience should be a guide for the future.

“We also call on the party to announce the zoning formula for the principal officers of both the Senate and the House of Representatives as soon as possible in order to avert a situation where the zoning is done after candidates have started campaigning, causing a feeling that the zoning is targeted to favour particular individuals. The 2015 experience should be a guide.”

“In the last 20 years, these zones have occupied the position for a total of 12 years; Sen David Mark (8 Years) and Sen. Bukola Saraki (4 Years). The zone had earlier produced two Senate Presidents in the persons of Chief Ameh Ebute and Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

“The South East has also produced Late Sen. Evans Enwerem, Late Sen. Chuba Okadigbo, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and Senator Ken Nnamani who cumulatively occupied the exhalted position for period of eight years.

“In the 2019 General elections, the North East Zone voted massively for President Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the zone that contributed the second highest number of votes to Mr. President.

“It is only just and fair that the North East is considered for the third highest position of the country after the positions of President and Vice President, considering the electoral contribution of the zone to Mr. President’s victory at the polls.”

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