‘Why North Central should produce Senate president’

A Civil Society Organisation, the Campaign For Democracy (CD), has appealed to the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the Senate Presidency to the North Central geopolitical zone in the coming 10th National Assembly.

The pro-democracy group maintained that the North Central deserved the nation’s number three position in the interest of fairness, equity and Justice

The CD, in a statement by its General Secretary, Ifeanyi Odili, on Wednesday in Abuja, explained that the North Central zone had been seriously marginalized in Nigeria since 1999.

Odili said, “The Zone has not produced the president nor vice president of the country, and it is only proper that the zone should be allowed to produce the next Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.

“Some people are arguing that the South-East should be favoured in the interest of fairness, equity and justice, forgetting that the North Central has suffered the worst fate since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

“The North Central being the largest zone in the country in terms of landmass, has suffered the worst form of insecurity, partly because it lacked adequate representation in the nation’s highest political hierarchy.

“The zone especially Niger State, it’s people are known for partisan loyalty and since 1999 accounts for the highest voting pattern for winning presidential tickets. For instance in 2015 and 2019, Niger State accounted for the highest votes in the Presidential election in North Central Geo-political zone.

“What the All Progressives Congress (APC) should do is to zone the office of the president of the Senate to the North Central, so as to compensate the people for their massive support and vote in the recent Presidential and National Assembly elections.”