A group under the aegis of G ood Governance Initiative has berated a group of ex-senators for calling on other presidential aspirants to step down from the race for Sen. God’swill Akpabio (APC-Akwa-Ibom).
The group is committed to the emergence of Senator-elect, Abdul’aziz Yari as the next Senate President.
National President of the group Kunle Sanusi, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.
Reacting to the endorsement of Akpabio by the Non-Serving Senators of the Second to the Fourth Republics, Sanusi said that such call was undemocratic and uncalled for in a constitutional democracy.
“These were people who functioned as lawmakers at the highest level of this country previously.
“They ought to understand fundamental rights of individuals as enshrined in the Constitution.
“They ought to understand constitutional democracy like ours. Many of them on the list once championed the independence of the parliament. So, what has changed?
“The best answer to the question is double standard on their part, for their selfish gains.
“However, His Excellency Abdul’aziz Yari will exercise his rights within the confines of the Senate Standing Rule and the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“He can’t be intimidated by this kind of gang-up since the former senators have no voting rights on the floor of the Senate on one hand.”
Sanusi further said that on the other hand, Sen.God’swill Akpabio was part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators who voted for a Senate President to ensure the independence of the legislature in 2015.”
Seventy-two former federal lawmakers on the auspices of Non-Serving Senators of the Second to the Fourth Republics led by Sen. Basheer Lado, earlier on Monday, endorsed the choices of Akpabio and Sen. Barau Jibril (APC–Kano) as the next Senate President and Deputy of the 10th National Assembly.(NAN)