The kind of Senate President the nation deserves
Your Excellency, It is with great honor and expectation that I am writing this letter to you on a very important issue that has continued to linger on the mind of the nation, particularly after your deserved victory headlined the next area of contentions in your administration, the election of a new leadership of the […]
Your Excellency,
It is with great honor and expectation that I am writing this letter to you on a very important issue that has continued to linger on the mind of the nation, particularly after your deserved victory headlined the next area of contentions in your administration, the election of a new leadership of the National Assembly, especially that of the Senate President.
I am one of those who share the conviction that your victory at the last Presidential polls was the greatest gift yet God in his mercies has given to our country. This is true because your election signifies that our Nation is maturing democratically with the leadership recruitment process now transparent, accountable, and efficacious. No doubt our nation is at a threshold, gazing at a future full of possibilities and transformation. While the party hierarchy has taken a position on its preferred candidates for the election of the leadership of the national assembly, it is apparent that there is no consensus within the party as many see the decision of the NWC as undemocratic, unpopular, and unacceptable. And the reasons are obvious judging by the controversial history of some of these personalities who are parading themselves as leading lights for such an esteemed office. We know that the corruption cases that have trailed the history of public services of both God’swll Akpabio and Orji Uzor Kalu have continued to be an albatross on their quest for the office of the Senate President and you, our new president and architect of the renewed hope vision should not condone or support such characters for such a position in the interest of your positive image and that of your administration and our beloved country in the eyes of the world.
I would want to advise that the same process that was employed in electing you during the Presidential primaries of our party which was applauded by all should be allowed also in electing the next Senate President. I think what you should only do at this time is to patriotically make sure that nobody, no matter how popular among the contestants to that seat is allowed to succeed as long as he is tainted with one form of the stigma associated with corruption especially as the opposition and detractors have become very potent that they may take advantage of any wrong choice for the leadership of National Assembly.
Now is the time to renew our democratic credentials by charting a new course of leadership recruitment that is based on integrity and accountability anchored on the renewed hope mantra of the new APC-led administration.
Trusting in your antecedents as one of the greatest democrats that have ever walked through our country’s political sphere, I know the election of the next Senate President would be allowed to be just, transparent, free, and fair and represents the will of the Senators and the expectation of all Nigerians.
Congratulations once again on your swearing-in ceremony.
Long live the President of Nigeria.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
By Dr. Tom Ohikere, CEO, APC NewsOnline