COALITION ASKS PDP TO RE-ZONE SENATE PRESIDENCY TO NORTH/EAST OR SOUTH/EAST

From MIDAT B.JOSEPH, Kaduna
Posted: Friday, May 13, 2011

Igbo Youth Coalition for Positive Change has called on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconsider its decision and zone the Senate President's Seat to either the North East or South East-geo political zones in the interest of party cohesion and National Unity.
In a statement made available to New Nigerian in Kaduna, signed by its National Chairman Chief Francis Emeka Orji stated the time had come for the North East geo political zone to occupy the leadership positions of the National Assembly.
He said, "in the sixth National Assembly Chief Ekweremadu was the Deputy Senate president from the South East, Hon Usman Nafada was the Deputy Speaker from the North East, this time around we call on PDP to zone the speaker ship to the South East and Senate Presidency to North East".
"The National Assembly is not a monarchy; we condemn in totality the recent statement by the party leadership to maintain the status quo just because of the current Senate President.
"Let it be known, that the dynamic of public entails enjoys everybody to be carried along, does it mean it is only the North Central candidate that can manage and handle the National Assembly particularly the senate?
"We also want to put it on record that zoning the speaker ship to the south west is robbing Peter to pay Paul, it is absurd, undemocratic and a day light robbery. We call on the PDP leadership to have a rethink on this", the statement said.
The youth Coalition reminded the PDP leadership of the victory recorded by PDP in strategic states of the federation particularly in the North East as well as the overwhelming support the people of the zone gave President Goodluck Jonathan in the just concluded election, saying that as such the zone should be adequately compensated.
The group also noted that they were aware of moves by certain group in the National Assembly to maintain the status quo ante, saying "we view these groups and persons as not doing justice to the issue of power sharing in a federation like Nigeria".
Accordint to the Coalition, the North East and South East zones are the most marginalized in the country, saying that strategic political position are being hijacked by the North Central, North West and South West zones.
"We call on President Jonathan to see reason and accede to the demand of the North East and South East zones", the statement said.
The Igbo Youth Coalition for Positive Change urged President Jonathan to stamp his feet and ensure he carried the entire political zone along as this would go a along way in stabilizing his administration.