Fears are gripping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),
over the agitation of Northern Muslims for the position of Senate President and
Speaker of the House of Representatives as such would amount to the isalmization
of the country.
Revealing this on Friday, Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima on
Friday night while hosting the party’s candidates for the principal positions
in the upcoming 10th Assembly noted that such idea would Islamize the country.
No doubt the zoning of
the principal offices to the South-south and North-west, there have been
protests against the choice of former Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio
and Tajudeen Abbas, both for the Senate president and Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
While Akpabio is a
Christian, Abbas is a Muslim.
The Chief Justice of the
Federation, Olukayode Ariwoola, is also a Muslim, while both the
President-elect and vice-president-elect are also Muslims.
Religion was said to
have played a huge role in deciding the zoning as the president-elect is a
Muslim like Shettima.
The emergence of both Tinubu and Shettima as presidential
candidate and Vice Presidential Candidate in 2022, the issue of flying a single
faith ticket was condemned and was the topic of discussion and condemnation by
critics of same faith ticket.
Yet, despite the consideration which informed the selection of
Akpabio and Abbas, other aspirants mostly Muslims from the Northern region have
continued to protest against the choices of the ruling party.
The aspirants were joined on Friday in Kaduna in a one-day
workshop by stakeholders and political leaders from the three geopolitical
zones in the North to make a case for the North to control the national
assembly.
In the communique signed by Prof.Tukur Muhammad- Baba, Chairman
of the Communique Committee and Dr.Benjamin Izra Dikki, Secretary, “the
Northerners emphasised that because the North was not in control of both the
Executive and the Judiciary arms of government, their demand was
non-negotiable.”
They made further justification that, “In a table that was
contained in the communique that showed the percentage of votes across the 6
geo- political zones, the Northwest zone gave a total vote of 2,652235,the
North Central 1,742,993 while the North East gave 1,185,458. The total contributions
of the North were 63.5%.”
They also, “Demand the leadership of the National Assembly in
consonance with the provisions of section 14 and sub-sections (1), (2) and (3)
of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. This is necessary because the North is
not in control of both the Executive and the Judiciary arms of government. This
demand is non negotiable.”
The North also “demands fair share of ministerial and other
appointments. Such appointments should take cognisance of competence, integrity
and track record, otherwise, the region is left with no option than to
de-invest its support for the government and the party in subsequent
elections,” according to the communique issued after the workshop.
But Shettima, who has moved to pacify other aspirants said
allowing for a Muslim Senate President could “validate the negative narrative
of the Islamisation agenda of Nigeria”.
According to him, the next National Assembly leadership must be
inclusive because the “stability of the nation is much more important than any
other consideration.
“What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number
one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen, and the number four
citizen are all of the same faith.
“That will lend credence, and validate the negative narrative of
the Islamisation agenda of Nigeria.
“This is why my principal, a fair-minded leader, Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, is more inclined towards having the number three citizen from the
South/south or the south-east.
“Even in the current
circumstance that we find ourselves in, the stability of the nation is much
more important than any other consideration.
“All other
considerations have to be relegated to the background because we are talking
about the stability of the nation.
“We are talking about
inclusivity, we are talking about togetherness because nation-building is a
continuous work in progress and politics is about perception, it is about
optics.
“I am quite glad that
Benjamin Kalu will emerge as the deputy speaker. The hope for the black man
rests with the people of this country.”
To balance the religious
configuration, the APC has also nominated Barau Jibrin, senator representing
Kano north, as deputy senate president, and Benjamin Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia
and current house spokesperson, as deputy speaker.
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