By Charles Adingupu
Despite his earlier resolve to shun the micro zoning arrangement of leadership of the emerging 10th National Assembly by his party, Former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, and one of the frontline aspirants in the race for Senate presidency, has enjoined fellow lawmakers to support the incoming government of the President elect, Bola Tinubu.
The Governor who at the expiration of his tenure would resume at the Senate as one of the lawmakers in the emerging 10th National Assembly, congratulated his colleagues over their election victory.
The Governor in his congratulatory message urged the Senators-elect to partner with the incoming president, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and their constituencies to bring developments and dividend of democracy to the masses.
Mr Yari’s call, which was contained statement issued in Abuja at the weekend by his media office, is coming two days after he threatened to disobey the micro-zoning arrangement adopted by leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Recall that the ruling party had micro-zoned the Senate president position to immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godwin Akpabio, while Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau, was given the slot.
But the Zamfara lawmaker along with Senator Sani Musa (Niger East), Umar Sadiq (Kwara North) and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, who recently lost his wife had on Thursday lamented that no aspirant was consulted before the party took its decision.
Yari had warned that unless a level playing field was extended to every aspirant, including Northern senators to determine their fate, there would be an open rebellion in the chamber.
In his congratulatory message on Saturday, the former governor however urged his colleague to remain upright and work for the unity of Nigerians.
While drumming support for the president-elect, the senator-elect also affirmed that he will continue to consult on his aspiration to become the next Senate president.
His statement read, “I congratulate you all on your well deserved victory at the polls, it is a testament of your popularity among your people and the confidence they have in you to deliver democracy dividends to them.
You must therefore not disappoint them in anyway because your actions, inactions, omissions and commissions may affect them directly or indirectly. The division among Nigerians resulting from religious, tribal and ethnic sentiments is a narrative we must all work together to change for the country to move forward.
“I, however, charge you to use the opportunity of your election to partner Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect in achieving the economic agenda of the country in ensuring human capital and infrastructural development of the country. You should strive to ensure a smooth relationship between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary because together in unity of purpose, we can make the country a better place for all and make it march the achievements of advanced nations.
“As I continue to consult on my aspiration to serve you as your President of the Senate, please accept the assurances of my highest esteem. This is the time to eschew religious, tribal, nepotic tendencies and ethnic sentiments in the choice of the President of the Senate which is first among equals.”
