Former Senate majority leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has kicked against the endorsement of Chief Godswill Akpabio as potential President of the 10th Senate.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) party leadership and President-elect Bola Tinubu have endorsed Akpabio as the next Senate President.
In an interview on Sparkling FM, Calabar, Cross River State, Ndoma-Egba frowned at the purported action, saying it was wrong to jettison the 1999 zoning arrangements as well as the constitution.
The APC chieftain also maintained that it ought to be the turn of the South East to produce the next Senate President, not South South where he, like Akpabio, hails from.
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“My not supporting South South is based on precedence from 1999. I stand on History. I cannot be sentimental.
“But if our brothers from South East don’t play their cards well and the position is taken from them, so be it.”
Ndoma-Egba warned against imposition, adding that such purported endorsement attempts to deny the Senate its independence.
He cautioned the APC against deviating from the zoning formula which has been in existence since 1999.
“That names of certain persons are mentioned or endorsed as possible leaders of the 10th Senate cannot be the end of the matter. This matter will be decided by the Senators themselves on the floor of the Senate come June 5th when they will conduct their voting; the real answer will then emerge.
“I want to let you know that the Senate guards its independence very jealously. Note that each time the Executive arm imposes a Senate President, there are usually banana peels. The only time you do not have banana peels is when the Senate on its own picks its leadership.
“We are talking about government positioning which constitution advises must be spread, and that no state or region should have undue dominance over the other.
“I want to strongly appeal to our brothers from the north and friends from the other religion to excuse themselves from the Senate Presidency race in the interests of national unity and of National Constitution Section 14.3.”
