The Northern Ethnic Youths Group Assembly (NEYGA) has tasked the members of Northern Senators Forum (NSF) to rally round Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for the advancement of national interest.
The group made the call in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mr. Ibrahim Dan-Musa, sent to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
Dan-Musa said it would be unfair for the North to view Senator Abdul Ningi’s suspension from the Senate as anti-North, considering the facts that the National Assembly is guided and regulated by Standing Orders and the activities of the Senate President do not in any way contradict the orders.
“We call on the political leaders of Northern Nigeria to consider the national interest, as any action that is capable of putting our unity at risk is unacceptable at this critical time of unity.
“We acknowledge the fact that the Senate President, as a human being, is not expected to be perfect. Therefore, it is expected that Senators from the North rally around him, just as both the Southern Senators supported Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State, who completed his tenure as the Senate President of the 9th National Assembly,” he stated.
The statement said Senator Akpabio has so far demonstrated his interest in national unity, adding that he has carried every political zone along, and he must not be crucified over nothing.
“We watched the plenary on the very day Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi was suspended.
“The decision was seen to be popular, considering the facts that none of the Senators was able to stand up and justify the action of Ningi. That shows that he wasn’t suspended because he is from the North but was suspended because of his action, as he was willing to tender an apology on this same issue,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the group has called on the political leaders in the North to wake up to the new political reality and orientation, as the old political practices were no longer in tandem with global best practices.
“Since Ahmed Lawan, Saraki, and David Mark enjoyed the completion of their tenure courtesy of support from the southern part, it is now incumbent on the Northern region to surround Akpabio to complete his term.
“The idea of installing another Muslim as Senate president should be jettisoned without delay.
“We have the President who is a Muslim, Vice President who is a Muslim, and Speaker of the House of Representatives who is also a Muslim. Planning to install a Muslim from the North to complete Akpabio’s tenure is not in the national interest,” Dan-Musa declared.