Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th Senate in June, Senator Sani Musa (Niger East) said that the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress will address the issue of religious balancing in the zoning formula used for electing presiding officers. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Musa noted that the Muslim‑Muslim ticket the party employed to win the presidential election must be balanced in the leadership configuration of the 10th National Assembly to preserve national unity.
Musa explained that no office should automatically be zoned to the North Central, including the Senate Presidency. He said that, as a party loyalist, he had consulted with party leadership ahead of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections at the Presidential Villa. The APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, asked members to hold their intentions until the party releases the zoning formula. “We will see how the Muslim‑Muslim ticket is addressed, and then we will make our declaration,” Musa added. He emphasized that he would not pre‑empt the party’s decision and would wait for its ruling, noting that the North Central zone gave President‑elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu the highest number of votes. “Given our contribution, the fairest outcome would be the Deputy Senate President position,” he said.
Despite his deference to party decisions, Musa expressed personal ambition to run for Senate President, intending to use the office to collaborate with the executive and improve the country. “Every human being has ambition,” he said. “I intend to safeguard our Constitution and democracy. Our forefathers designed a system for future generations to live together as one, so I see no reason not to vie for this position and strengthen the administration.”
Musa highlighted the nation’s challenges: double‑digit inflation, high unemployment, insecurity, and a depreciating naira. He lamented that such conditions should not exist in a country like Nigeria, which he believes should be the most advanced economy in Africa. He argued that the National Assembly is the institution capable of enacting strong policies that unite the country and promote prosperity, and that its presiding officers must be attuned to the concerns of ordinary Nigerians.
Finally, Musa reiterated his stance on religious balancing: if the Senate Presidency is not zoned to the North Central for the sake of unity, then the Deputy Senate President position should be allocated to the region.
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