The National Unity Group (NUG) says the spate of insecurity in South East will end if an Igbo were to be elected the Senate president. The group led by Dr. Omotayo Gbadebo, in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, called on the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, to heed the clamour since it is in the best interest of the country.
The group also threw its weight behind the clamour for zoning of Speaker of the House of Representatives to the North West. The group explained that the idea is to entrench equity and fairness in the country.
Justifying the call, the group noted: “The scenario we are now is similar to what we had in 1999. Remember that because of June 12, the military decided to compensate the South West for peace to reign.
“Hence, Alliance for Democracy (AD) was registered even when it did not meet the requirements, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deliberately picked a Yoruba man, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as its presidential candidate and Atiku Abubakar from North East as his running mate.
“When the government was sworn in, office of the Senate president was given to the South East (Evans Enwerem/Chuba Okadigbo/Anyim Pius Anyim).
Speaker of the House of Representatives was given to the North West (Salisu Buhari/Ghali NaÁbba/Aminu Masari), while deputy Senate president office went to North Central (Haruna Abubakar/Ibrahim Mantu) and deputy Speaker to the South South (Chibudom Nwuche/Austin Opara). The PDP National Chairman, Solomon Lar, was from North Central.
“We are now saying that to have peace, end killings in the South East, North Central and compensate North West for its immense contributions to the victory of APC in the last presidential election, let the Senate presidency go to the South East, while the House speakership zoned to the North West, and deputy Senate president and deputy Speaker zoned to the South South.
“Presently, there are mindless killings in the South East, as well as agitations just as it was in the South West then. Let the party give them Senate presidency so that they can have a sense of belonging in the Nigerian project.”
