The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)  at the Council’s general assembly meeting in Abuja on Thursday told the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly to either the Southeast or South-south in  compliance with federal character as stipulated in the constitution.
IPAC National Chairman,  Sani Yabagi, in a communique after the council general assembly meeting, declared: “To ensure federal character as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, and ethno-religious balancing, the senate president should be zoned to the South-East or South-South geo-political zones.
“The candidate that will emerge will address the required ethno-religious balancing.
“In view of the fact that, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President-elect, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, are all of the same faith.
“This will help to restore confidence of the people from the South-East and South-South geo-political zones and indeed all Nigerians in the unity of the country.”

Yabagi said that there was historic precedence for such when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo led the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in 1999 deliberately zoned the senate president to the Southeast.
The  IPAC  National Chairman noted that the decision is to ensure that every zone was accommodated in the power sharing equation, thereby, helping to calm frayed nerves and peace throughout Obasanjo’s eight years administration.
According to him,  “IPAC calls on all relevant stakeholders to embark on deliberate actions that will help to reconcile, heal and unite the nation.
“This will eliminate the winner takes all syndrome and further ethno-religious inclusivity and a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic nation.

“This is without prejudice to the ongoing Election Petitions at various election petition tribunals in the country.”
Yabagi expressed concerned over the ethno-religious sentiments that characterised the selection of Presidential candidates for 2023 general election.
He said the IPAC was also concerned on campaigns which adversely polarised the nation and undermined issues-based campaigns that would have strengthened frail electoral process.
“Nigerians witnessed the worst campaign since 1999 when democracy was restored in the country.
“IPAC is strongly determined to stop the dastardly do-or-die politics, garrison politics, ethno-religious profiling and stomach infrastructure that have impeded our hard-earned democracy and impoverished the masses who sold their votes for a mess of electoral porridge.”
Yabagi called for more appointments of women and youth in government as the most vibrant demographic groups in the country.
He said that the continued marginalisation of women and youths in the previous and incumbent governments must stop forthwith, saying no nation made progress without the active participation of women and youth.
“Women involvement in the 2023 general election was an eloquent testimony of their preparedness to serve the fatherland and should be given the opportunity to do so.”

NAN