Former Senate Majority Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba,has thrown his weight behind the Southeast region to produce the next Senate President. He cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against deviating from the zoning formula which has been in place since democracy returned in 1999.
Speaking with Sparkling FM radio in Calabar on Tuesday, Ndoma-Egba warned against attempts to impose a Senate President and called for the APC to respect the independence of the Senate. He also frowned at reports that the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, endorsed former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the popular choice.
He emphasized that the Senate must be allowed to elect its President independently, free from any attempts at imposition.
Ndoma-Egba, who is from the South-South region where Akpabio hails from, stressed that he was supporting the Southeast because, by the constitution, the position is supposed to go in that direction. He also urged his Southeast brothers to play their cards well so that the position would not be taken from them.
While acknowledging Senator Akpabio’s aspiration, he said in the interest of national unity, and National Constitution Section 14.3, it is necessary for friends from the north and other religions to excuse themselves from the Senate Presidency race.
He urged political leaders to spread government positions as advised by the Constitution, so that no state or region would have undue dominance over others.
