Senate Presidency: It’s unconstitutional to zone to an individual, group tells APC, Presidency

A group, National Coalition in Defence of Democracy has faulted the endorsement of Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan, as the preferred choice for the exalted office of Senate President of the 9th Assembly by the All Progressives Congress National Working Committee and the Presidency.

Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that in the race for the position zoned to the North-East is Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe state, Senator Ali Ndume from Borno state and former Gombe state governor, Danjuma Goje.

But addressing newsmen on Monday in Abuja, Ambassador Auwal Alhassan Gama, National Coordinator, National Coalition In Defense of Democracy said the decision by the leadership of the party and the Presidency to zone to an individual was unconstitutional and meant to disenfranchise other qualified candidates from the North-East geopolitical zone.

He said: ”  You can’t disenfranchise, it is unconstitutional to zone to an individual. Considering the pedigree of the 109 senators they should be allowed to pick their leader.

“Every member of the Senate should be given an opportunity to vie for the office.  Give these men of integrity the opportunity to choose their leaders to ensure mutual respect and confidence between the executive and legislative arm of government. We don’t want what happened between 2015 to date to reenact itself, where there was a cold war between the two strategic arms of government.”

“The forum observed among other things that one of the reasons why the present government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR did not meet up the expectations of many Nigerians in the areas of Infrastructure and human development was a result of the sour relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of Government. This has created setbacks in the areas of non-full implementation of the budget and alteration on a key intended project by the government.”

The forum further identified the erstwhile Senate Leader, Ali Ndume as the most qualified for the office and admonished the APC NWC and the Presidency to review its earlier endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan.

“The National Coalition In Defense of Democracy in its wisdom felt the need to call on the newly elected members of the upper chambers of the National Assembly irrespective of the political party to consider Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, a three-term Senator from Borno South Senatorial District, Borno State, a Patriot, a detribalized Nigerian and an experienced member of the National Assembly who has contributed to the growth of our democracy for the position of the President of the Nigerian Senate.

“The decision to call for Support for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s emergence as the next Senate President is born out of our desire for a healthy working relationship between the Executives and the Legislature for better delivery of democratic dividends. ” It is our belief that he will bring his matured sense of reasoning, experience and fear of God into play as the Chairman of the National Assembly, he is one politician we know and trust will unite all interest in the National Assembly.

“While we salute the courage and goodwill of the presidency in allowing the independent of all arms of government to run its activities independently. It is equally important for all stakeholders including the APC National Working Committee to provide a level playing ground for all its members at the North Eastern part of the country who deemed it fit to contest.

“Finally, we wish to call on all members of the National Assembly Elect, especially those of the upper chambers to support the call for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s Senate Presidency. We were part of the process that brought you onboard and it is our humble plea and believes that Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume will not disappoint us. ”