Five days to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly and election of principal officers, the Christian Organisation of Nigeria has said religion and zoning should not count in who leads the Senate.
The CON made the submission in a press statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
The All Progressives Congress last month unveiled its zoning formular for the leadership of both chambers of Parliament. For the Red Chamber, the party announced Senators Godswill Akpabio ( south south) and Barau Jibrin ( North West) as favoured candidate.
Other aspirants have continued to kick against the zoning arrangement. Aspirants for the Senate President who have rejected the favoured choices of the party include former Zamfara State Governor and Senator elect for Zamfara West, Abdul Aziz Yari; Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa; Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator elect, Imo West, Osita Izunaso.
Paul Nwokoro, President General of CON asked lawmakers who will vote next week not to be swayed by religious or ethnic sentiment.
“The hallowed Chambers of the Senate is where Nigeria must speak as one united and indivisible entity hence every Religious, Ethnic and Racial divisions must be highly discouraged. CON after a critical assessment of all the contestants irrespective of their religious divide has chosen to endorse Senator Abdul Aziz Yari because he is the most capable. CON is apolitical and does not share the myopic reasoning that a Christian must be endorsed because we do not see any Christian from the lot contesting that is more capable that Senator Yari.
“The 10th Nigerian Senate is not a place where cheap religious sentiments can fly, hence several propaganda machinery deployed to hoodwink Senators-elect into supporting a failed project is dead on arrival.
“The CON accepts the decision of the Senators-elect to reject the APC endorsement and to vote according to their conscience.
“The Christian Organizations of Nigeria (CON) calls on the Senators-elect to jettison any and all such endorsements. Nigeria is our common patrimony and we must all rise up to endorse only candidates who have not sold their souls.
The association also argued that the former Zamfara State governor has what it takes to lead the Senate
“It must be stated that given the peculiarities of time, the need to have leaders with experience and the capacity to hit the ground running should be emphasized in this current dispensation. This much has been the trademark of Senator Yari, hence our endorsement of his aspiration, which represents the country’s best interest in this critical time of our existence,”
“Sen. Yari is one of the notable nationalists, who have displayed administrative competence and commitment to the country’s socioeconomic development. He has always put the country’s interest at heart in all his endeavors. This has undoubtedly earned him tremendous respect across the country and an attribute he will put to good use if elected as Senate President.
“We must admit that what the country needs at this point is leaders with capacity regardless of ethnic and religious affiliations. Nigeria needs leaders that understand the dynamic nature of the country, which can only be brought about through hands-on experience in governance.
“Senator Yari’s credentials speak volumes of a man on a mission to contribute to sustainable growth and development. He has demonstrated competence and capacity and has built bridges across the divide.”
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