Ondo APC chieftain condemns imposition of Akpabio as Senate President

A chieftain of the All Progresive Congress (APC), in Ondo State, Dr Michael Ajilo, has condmned the decision of the national leadership of the party to single-handedly pick former Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio to be the Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.

Ajilo, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday noted that it is obvious that the incoming executive is hoping to have a rubber stamp legislature with the ongoing imbroglio regarding imposition of presiding officers in a process presented as a zoning arrangement.

He said:”One is made to question where the democracy is? Where is the fairness, justice, and equity that the president-elect was a beneficiary of, especially in the run-up to presidential primaries.

“It must also be noted that the legislature is an independent body which must be independent of the executive to be able to pass laws and policies to the benefit of the country without oppressive influence from other arms of government.

“The South-East participated in the general elections. A cabal appears to be pushing the claim that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the current Senate Chief Whip, contributed poorly to success of APC at the election. The question is the president-elect not a victim of this in his own backyard, emanating from the wave of the popular presidential candidate of South Eastern extraction?

“People advocating Senator Goodswill Akpabio, now forget that Senator Orji Kalu is a founding member of the APC, and he has paid his dues in National politics is concerned. This cabal must be told to their faces that they are threatening our democracy and putting their own interests above national interests.”

Ajilo, who is the founder of MADE Foundation, further stated that:”Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is a business tycoon and a major employer of labour with over 13,000 workers in his employ.

He is also a two-time Governor of Abia State, a founding member of the APC, current Chief Whip of the 9th National assembly and a critical stakeholder whose popularity cuts across regions is more than capable to occupy the seat of the Senate President of Nigeria.”

He concluded that:”The South East of Nigeria has been continually marginalised over the years. What will be the stake of members of the party from the South East who faced political extremism by supporting the interest of their party against one of theirs?

“As a progressive party, the continued coexistence of this country and major ethnic groups must be sustained and promoted rigorously without prejudice and gainsaying. The cabal working closely with the president-elect, who are looking to truncate our democracy as a result of their own blind interests, are hereby advised to desist forthwith.

“It must be noted that the National Assembly is an independent institution and as such, the prerogative to choose their leaders must be impressed upon the Senators-elect and members-elect to have a say in the constitution of their own leadership.”