Abuja — The Senator-elect who would represent the Nasarawa West in the 10th Senate, Aliyu Wadada, has said his colleagues from the North-central geopolitical zone were still determined to ensure the emergence of Senator Sani Musa as Deputy Senate President during the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly next month.
Wadada, who was elected on the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), stated this yesterday when he granted an interview to journalists at the closing ceremony of the induction programme organised for the newly elected members of the 10th National Assembly.
He also said the fact that he and some of his colleagues have been following the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the position of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, does not mean that the North-central had dumped Musa.
He said since the North-central Caucus of the incoming 10th Senate had resolved to support and ensure the emergence of Musa as Deputy Senate President, stressing there was nothing wrong in supporting the choice of the APC for the position of the Senate President.
The APC National Working Committee (NWC) had penultimate week, announced the zoning arrangements for the 10th National Assembly leadership positions but left out the North-central geopolitical zone without giving any reason.
The party however zoned the position of the Speaker, House of Representatives and Deputy Senate President to the North-west geopolitical zone.
Wadada told journalists that, “The North-central will not, and cannot be left out with a representative like us. We will always strive to get what belongs to us or what we deserve.
“We already had a press briefing where we clearly stated our position. After the press briefing, when the zoning arrangements had been announced, we also took a stand and our governors supported us.
“The governors met with the aspirants from the North-central met and efforts are really on to ensure that North-central gets what it deserves.
“As senators elect from the North-central geopolitical zone, our position has not changed. We stand for the Deputy Senate President.
“If the North-central Caucus stands for the Deputy Senate Presidency, by implication that means that the caucus of the North-central, wants the Presidency of the Senate to go to the Southern part of Nigeria.
“My being around Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin does not change my position as a Senator from the North-central part of Nigeria.
“Akpabio is from the South-south, Barau is from the North-west, while Wadada is from the North-central. So there is no confusion at all.
“My being around Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin does not mean that the North-central Caucus had conceded to the APC joint ticket.
“The North-central geopolitical zone that has been a stabilising factor in Nigeria’s politics, would not want to rock the boat.”
He said the fact that the North-central Caucus recently said it won’t mind having the position of Speaker zoned to its geopolitical zone does not mean the senators-elect had abandoned Musa.
He said, “What we have said lately is that, if for any reason, the position of the Deputy Senate President that we have always canvassed for would not be conceded to us as North-central, then, we should be given the Speakership position.
“This is because the North-central cannot go empty handed. It is not fair, It is not just, it is not rational. There is nothing right about it.
“A situation where a single geopolitical zone to have two presiding officers’ positions when the North-central remain empty, is not fair,” he added.