Opposition Senators are reportedly meeting to decide on who to support as the Senate President ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that according to Senator Francis Fadaunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District in the Senate, the lawmakers have ruled out the possibility of scuttling the zoning arrangement of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but are united in their resolve to contribute to good governance in the next administration.
“The meeting of the minority Caucus has started but it is not to frustrate the APC leadership move on zoning. We are prepared to supports the best aspirant from the geo-political zone where the presiding officers’ positions would be zoned to,” he declared.
A North Central Senator-elect also confirmed that the minority Caucus would not be rocking the boat when it comes to the constitution of the Presiding officers of the Senate.
According to him: “What we are after is the best candidate of the lot. And as far as some of us are concerned, the ruling party should know how to give us the best hand for the job. We are not unaware of legislative conventions around the world. Can we be different? No!”.
However, a ranking Senator from the North East has raised an alarm over what he called desperate attempts by a few Senators in opposition to coerce the ruling party to zone the Senate Presidency to either the South East or the South South.
According to reports, the Senator, who preferred not to be quoted, alleged that these few Senators have been using all sorts of tactics, including guile, to weaken the base of the APC in the North, particularly the North West.
In his words, “The President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has to be extra careful of these tactics aimed at whipping up religious sentiments into issues as serious as the leadership of the Senate.
The antics are aimed at ensuring that the APC in the North loses out of a strong political position so the opposition can have a field day planning and mopping up for 2027. They must not be allowed to succeed!”
