The former majority leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has thrown his political weight behind the Southeast region to produce the next Senate President.
He cautioned the APC, the national ruling party, against deviating from the zoning formula which they have had since 1999 when democracy returned.
He also frowned at the reported endorsement of former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, by the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as the popular choice.
Speaking on Tuesday over a programme on Sparkling FM radio in Calabar, Ndoma-Egba warned against imposition, adding that such purported endorsement attempts to deny the Senate of its independence.
“So for names of certain persons to be mentioned or endorsed as possible leaders of the 10th Senate cannot be the end of the matter. This matter will be decided by the Senators themselves on the floor of the Senate come June 5th when they will conduct their voting; the real answer will then emerge.
“I want to let you know that the Senate guards its independence very jealously. Note that each time the Executive arm imposes a Senate President there are usually banana peels. The only time you do not have banana peels is when the Senate on its own picks its leadership,” he said.
Ndoma-Egba said even though he is from the South South region where Godswill Akpabio also hails and is vying for the position of Senate President yet he cannot be sentimental to root for him.
He said he was supporting the southeast because by constitution, the position ought to go that direction.
“My not supporting South South is based on precedence from 1999. I stand on history. I cannot be sentimental.
“But if our brothers from Southeast dont play their cards well and the position is taken from them, so be it.
“I want to strongly appeal to our brothers from the north and friends from the other religion to excuse themselves from the Senate Presidency race in the interests of national unity and of National Constitution Section 14.3.
“The argument that Southeast didn’t contribute much to the victory of incoming President, and so should not be considered cannot be tenable. This is because we are now talking about government positioning which constitution advises must be spread, and that no state or region should have undue dominance over the other.”
