End Marginalization of Ndi Igbo-South East Senators Elect Demands Equity, Inclusiveness From APC

The Senators Elect from the South East Zone rose from a meeting held today at the Maitama residence of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah with a demand for an end to the perceived marginalization of Ndi Igbo in the affairs of the country.

The South East Senate Caucus, at the end of the meeting that lasted several hours, came up with the following resolutions.

• They observed with dismay the antics of persons with vested selfish interests who having planted themselves around the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu vowed to shut out the South East from the Senate Presidency of the 10th Senate, which to them is unfortunate.

• They stressed that beyond ethnic and religious considerations, in the forthcoming 10th Senate, the Southeast is blessed with ranking Senators-elect including members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who have the cranial capacity,  competence, influence, experience and political followership to pilot the affairs of the Red Chamber, stressing that it becomes imperative that the All Progressives Congress upholds the Principle of Natural Justice and Equity which it preaches, by zoning the seat of Senate President to the South East region.

• They opined that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should extend the same democratic opportunity he received from the outgoing administration which gave all aspirants equal opportunity to exercise their fundamental and constitutional rights during the APC Presidential Primaries and should be conscious of the grave implications of zoning and endorsing a candidate from the South-South without any regard for the Southeast, as such moves will no doubt serve as a recipe for Injustice which will culminate to restiveness in the 10th Senate.

• They, therefore, implored the President-elect to be sensitive to the times in Nigeria and ensure that the country continues to thrive on the stance of equity, unity and fairness to the tripod of Nigeria (Hausa Igbo and Yoruba) and the geopolitical zones.

• They, however, opined that the country is already divided along ethnic and religious lines due to the exclusion of the Southeast region, which formed the major reason, the APC received the number of votes from the Southeast and therefore asked the incoming Administration of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to correct this anomaly by ensuring that the Southeast is allowed to produce the next Senate President.

• They lamented the side-lining of the Southeast from producing the Presidential candidates of the two major political parties before the general elections and stressed that the only means through which the zone can be compensated and given a sense of belonging is for the zone to produce the next Senate President as this will restore confidence of the people from the south-east and indeed all Nigerians in the unity of the country.

• They called on the APC as a matter of national urgency to rise above primordial and political interests and shun the winner takes all syndrome by pursuing ethnoreligious inclusivity and a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic nation

• They queried how an average Igbo man would feel if they were to be handed this humiliation as the president-elect begins his tenure bearing in mind that the South East has been denied the chance of producing the president of Nigeria since 1966.
The South South having produced president for six years and also had Deputy Senate President in the outgoing administration. The only zone in the South that has not been favoured is the South East.

• They insisted that the outcry of marginalization by the South East and the entire Igbo should be addressed by the incoming administration rather than aggravating it. The South West has President, the North East has Vice President, it is only just that the least position at the moment that can assuage the South East is the chance to be the President of the 10th Senate.

• On this note, they collectively resolved to support the Southeast aspirants of the APC. They remain committed and have since expanded negotiations with other well-meaning Senators-elect to rally round the South East to ensure that justice, fairness, and unity of the country prevail.

• They remain hopeful that together they shall achieve a harmonious 10th Senate and deepen democracy, fairness, and the unity of our dear country.

The senators who attended the meeting and signed the communique include
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator Osita Izunaso, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Senator Victor Umeh
Senator Osita Izunaso, Senator Ezenwa Oyewuchi, Senator Tony Nwoye, Senator PC Ndubueze, Senator Okey Ezea, Senator Kelvin Chukwu and Senator Osita Ngwu.