A pro-youth group based in Onitsha, Youth Frontiers (YF) has called on the Ninth National Assembly to ensure national spread in the appointment of principal officers for Senate and House of Representatives.
According to the group’s spokesman, Comrade Ndubuisi Okafor, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with majority in both chambers of the National Assembly must be sensitive to the ethnic diversity of Nigeria.
The group urged the political class to place the collective interest of Nigerians above selfish ambitions.
Addressing members of the group in Onitsha, yesterday, Okafor urged the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to take cognizance of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious nature of the country in the zoning arrangements for principal positions in the national assembly .
He said: “As we approach the inauguration of the 9th session of the national assembly, Nigerians are craving policies that will improve the welfare of the people.
“ The leadership of the national assembly must reflect federal character.
“The ruling party, APC, with majority seats in the National Assembly, must allocate principal positions based on federal character, without sentiments.
“ The South East has been sidelined in the past and as such, the political class must correct the imbalance in the 9th session of the national assembly.
“ We gathered that the APC has zoned the principal positions in the National Assembly, with one tribe among the three predominant tribes clinching most of the positions.
“Ndigbo should be considered for the position of Deputy Senate President.”
While cautioning the National Assembly against external influence in the selection of principal officers, Okafor urged the people of the South East, across political parties to maintain their insistence on the position of the deputy senate president.