As the debate continues to rage on which geopolitical zone should produce the Senate President for the 10th National Assembly, a northern youths group has urged the President-elect, Bola Tinubu to zone the position to the North West.
The group, Northern Youths Assembly (NOYA), specifically called on the President-elect to support the ambition of Senator Barau Jibrin to become the next Senate President, arguing that their position was as a result of the Kano senator’s loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to a press statement signed by NOYA’s national coordinator, Dr Suleiman Mustapha Gombe, and made available to journalists in Bauchi on Sunday, Jibrin’s unrivalled popularity, generosity and achievements saved APC from total collapse in Kano State.
The group stated: “Had the APC lost Senator Barau Jibrin in the course of the protracted crisis that nearly cost the party its [influence] in Kano State when seven serving lawmakers from the state, under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau formed a formidable faction called, G7 to challenge what they considered as gross injustice meted out to them by the leadership of the APC in Kano State, 85% of the total votes scored in Kano State by the APC during the last presidential election in which he (Tinubu) emerged victorious would have been for the NNPP presidential candidate who was/is only popular in Kano State.
“It was Barau Jibrin’s unrivalled popularity, generosity and proudest achievements that saved the party from collapsing in totality in Kano State.”
The group submitted that for the sake of justice, equity and fairness, the position of Senate President should be zoned to the North-West, where Jibrin hailed from, adding that in Nigeria’s political history, the people of the North-West geopolitical zone had never produced the Senate President since the advent of democracy in the country
