Igbo group advocates for zoning of Senate president seat to southeast

Cyril Mbah, Abuja.

A southeast cultural organization known as Ndigbo United Forum Worldwide has joined the advocacy for the zoning of the position of Senate President in the incoming National Assembly to the southeast geopolitical zone in the interest of equity and fairness.

Making the appeal in an interview, the President General of the group, Ogbueshi (Dr.) Gabriel Ifeanyichukwu Iyoh urged the All Progressive Congress (APC) to carry every region and every ethnic group along in the next administration.

Dr. Ifeanyichukwu explained that ethnic restiveness would be greatly curtailed when every Nigerian feels a sense of belonging in the new government.

The president general who is also the south-south zone coordinator of the Nigeria Military Widows Association disclosed that a commercial mass transport system will be launched by the group in Abuja on May 13th to help provide financial support for military widows and their children in the absence of their husbands.

He promised the transport system will be properly managed and that the proceeds from the operations of the company will be used to cater for the education, health and sustenance of the families of deceased soldiers.

In a related development, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Southeast Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also appealed to the party to zone the position of Senate President to the southeast in the interest of justice and fair play.

Chairman of the FCT APC Caucus, Mazi Samuel Agwu Okechukwu, who made the call in an interview, stated that the southeast zone deserves to be considered to hold key positions in the incoming administration to give the zone a sense of belonging.

He however advised Igbos to seek inclusion into the various levels of the administration peacefully pointing out that in seeking any position, people should learn to place the interest of the nation first and understand that peace is paramount and cannot be replaced by any other thing.

“We are not supporting any particular person among those clamouring for positions in the Senate or House of Representatives. What we are asking is that there should be equity and fairness in the sharing of positions in the country.

“We are asking the APC to do the right thing. We are not supporting any candidate because it will not be good to identify with any particular person. What we are asking, for now, is that the Senate President should be given to the southeast”, He said.

He appealed to politicians seeking positions in government to play according to the rules and desist from destroying the foundations of the party or engaging in activities that will undermine or destroy the country.

Mazi Okechukwu urged APC to adopt the zoning system in the sharing of positions stating that zoning reduces inter-party conflicts, disagreements, and unnecessary contentions that tend to distract the leadership of political parties.

“There is no geo-political zone in this country that does not have capable hands that will contribute to the development of the country. So, zoning will help spread evenly the positions available and bring in good leaders to pilot the affairs of the country,” he said.