The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has rejected the adoption of Godswill Akpabio, the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Tajudeen Abbas, member of the House of Representatives, as the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.
The group also drew the attention of the incoming President to watch his back and guard against entrenched ‘Judases’ who are bent on pitching him against democracy.
CNG’s spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleman, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, cautioned the president-elect against the antics of vested personal interests.
He stated: “We emphatically call on the leadership of the APC to reclaim its statesmanship by immediately reversing the decision on Akpabio and Abbass, and setting the stage for the emergence of a credible National Assembly leadership through democratic elections by its members as enshrined in our Constitution.”
The Coalition warned that if this and any similar arrangements are allowed to pass through, the North as a whole would be deliberately short-changed by stripping it of the three main democratic influences which would be absolutely unacceptable as it said it was unjustifiable.
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“We encourage all other aspirants for any position in the National Assembly to disregard this purported, undemocratic arrangement and insist on the emergence of their leadership through acceptable, constitutionally recognized democratic elections,” he added.
According to Suleiman, Senator Abdul-Aziz Yari, who presently assumes the symbol of Northern aspiration to the Senate presidency, would lose respect and relevance if he submits to the temptation to quit the race for any undemocratic arrangement other than the elections.
“We urge all aspirants to the position of the House Representatives Speaker, such as Betara, Wase, Doguwa and the rest from all sections of the country to insist on a transparent and democratic emergence of leaders of the House.
“We renew our commitment to engaging all leaders and fellow Nigerians as we have always done as northerners to form a coalition to reclaim, restore and protect the sanctity of our hard-earned democracy,” CNG said.
