From Abel Abogonye, Lafia
A Youth Group underaegis of Southern and Northern Nigerian Christian Youth Leaders Forum has held a peaceful protest in support of the emergence of a Southern Christian Senate President at the 10th Assembly.
Convener of the Youth Group Amb. Ekiye Ekiye, told newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday that the purpose of the peaceful rally was to advocate justice, fairness and equity in the distribution of key political offices to politicians of different faiths.
“We have gathered today to advocate, to plead, to request and to prayerfully demand that having gotten a president and Vice President respectfully from the Muslim faith, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria from the Muslim faith and by the grace of God, we are also trusting that the next Speaker of the House of Representatives is going to be a Muslim.
“That it is instructive and just that the next Senate President should come from the Southern Nigeria and from the Christian faith,” he said
He assured that the southern part of Nigeria have many competent distinguished christian senators who can provide examplary leadership for the incoming senators hence the call for candidates from the northern zone for the exalted Senate presidency to step down and fully support a christian Senator from the South
“In Southern Nigeria we have eminent and competent distinguished senators who can provide leadership for the 10th Senate. Nigerians know them. We have Senator Osita and Senator Akpabio and so many of them.
“They are very competent and even the president and the national working committee of the ruling party All Progressive Congress has zoned the Senate presidency to the south.
“But we are not here to endorse any candidate but to present to Nigerians and the senators elect that among the senators from southern Nigeria, they should consider the very best among the ones that we have,” he added.
Ekiye also clamoured for the appointment of a christian from Northern Nigerian as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), adding that the move would boost the confidence of christians who initially were not in support of the APC Muslim-muslim ticket voted into power.
“It will also be important to allow a christian from the northern Nigeria become the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation. If this can be done, I believe the suspicion and the doubts among the christians in Nigeria and some Muslims who have sympathy for religious tolerance will be gone and they will appreciate it,” he said.
Ekiye who is also the Coordinator for Youth for Peace and Good Leadership Initiativr also called on all Nigerians to give the incoming administration the benefit of doubt to prove themselves and not jump to conclusions that they will not perform.
In another interview, Mr Suleiman Abubakar, a Youth Muslim leader in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said he was among the group of muslims in support of Southern Christian Senate Presidency for the sake of justice and equity.
“I believe that what the christians are demanding is fair. To be candid, I am of those who believe in fairness and equity because we have both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria and so if one side produces leaders, the other side should be allowed to produce leaders too,” he said.
The protesters were seen carrying placards with inscriptions: “Allow a Southern Christian to be next Senate President”, “We demand for a christian Senate president”, “We have high ranking senators to be next Senate president”