By Dansu Peter
Consequently, the agenda tops among others in the meeting scheduled to hold with the the National Assembly members-elect slated at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, 13th March 2023.
The Senate Chief Whip and Senator-elect from Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu; the 3 Senators-elect from Ebonyi, Nweze David Umahi, Eze Kenneth Emeka, Nwebonyi Onyeka Peter and their counterparts from Imo States; Izunaso Osita Bonaventure and Ndubueze Patrick Chiwuba are six senators elected on the platform of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress in the last presidential and national assembly elections held on the 25th February 2023.
Coming after the presidential election, which outcome is perceived in some quarters as controversial, the moves were ultimately initiated to calm frayed nerves around the country and reunite the people.
It was learnt that already, the President-elect is disposed to the zoning of the Senate presidency of the incoming 10th National Assembly to the South East to assuage the feelings of real or perceived disparity among the people.
According to Vanguard Newspaper a reliable source who craved anonymity revealed that Tinubu has vowed to leave no stone unturned at ensuring that all parts of the country are embraced in his new government, regardless of their political inclinations in the last elections.
The source, a long-standing associate of Tinubu, further revealed that Tinubu’s cabinet will be devoid of lopsidedness or ethnic discrimination.
He added that it was one of the agenda to be discussed at the meeting with members-elect of the National Assembly.
He said Tinubu had already informed some of his proteges among the elected senators to start shopping for anyone from the South-East as the next Senate President.
It would be recalled that despite the Labour Party’s “Obidient” wave in the South-East, the zone produced six senators from the ruling APC.
The source said Tinubu’s preference for a South-East Senate President might be made known at today’s closed-door meeting of the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; APC senators and members of the House of Representatives-elect at State House in Abuja.
“For the balance of power, our President-elect understands that to have a rancour-free administration, every region must be carried along and the South East is very paramount to him.
“He has confided in us his commitment to support the emergence of a Senate President from the South East for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, thus maintaining the balance of power and a sense of inclusion.
“In 2015, the South East was told to blame itself for not voting for APC, which could have given them the Senate Presidency.
“In 2019, they said the South East had no ranking senator but in 2023, there’s no excuse because the South East, despite the massive votes they gave to the Labour Party still voted for six APC senators, some of whom are ranking lawmakers.
“Tinubu has fully committed a Senate President of South East extraction. I can confirm because he believes it is the right thing to do and the move will also calm frayed nerves in the South-East.
He also wants to prevent unnecessary spending, bad blood lobbying which might culminate in hijack of the National Assembly, as it happened in 2015,” the source disclosed.
According to the source, the President elect’s preferential candidate may be the Chief Whip and returning senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, who he said was a close ally of Tinubu.
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