Northern Muslim Senate President will fuel islamisation fears – Arewa New Agenda

By Iyojo Ameh

The Arewa New Agenda (ANA) has said the emergence of a northern Muslim Senate President will aggravate the fear over an alleged plan to islamise Nigeria.

Briefing journàlists yesterday in Abuja ahead of the 10th National Assembly election of principal officers, which has been scheduled for tomorrow in the federal parliament, the Convener of ANA, Ahmed Abubakar MoAllahyidi said there is need for religious balancing.

To this end, he called for a southern Christian to be allowed to emerge as the 10th Senate President, adding that senator Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom state should be adopted as consensus candidate as already indicated by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

While enjoining all muslim northerners, including former Zamfara State Governor, Abdul-Azeez Yari, to shelve their ambition of contesting the Senate President in the interest of peace and stability of the country, MoAllahyidi said what Tinubu needs now is the corporation of the National Assembly.

“As you are now aware, the Arewa New Agenda ANA, has been in the forefront of seeking to promote the continuing prominence, relevance, involvement and participation of “the north” in national socio-political and economic activities through its vision of a Nigeria; where the north is capable, vibrant and takes ownership of its future.

“As a northern voice engaging in the promotion of social harmony and peaceful coexistence in our great country Nigeria, we are speaking ahead of the inauguration of the 10th national assembly coming up tomorrow- essentially to add our voice and prevail on our newly elected distinguished Senators and honorable members of the House of Representatives to use the election of their presiding officers as an activity that will demonstrate social peace building, national cohesion and healing.

“The election of principal officers of the two chambers of the national assembly is coming at a time when some sections of the polity are already jittery of the fact that the President and Vice President are Muslims, the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN is a Muslim and the front-runner for the Speaker of the house of representatives is also a Muslim.

“ANA is concerned that a situation where all the leadership of the Executive, Legislature and the judiciary are Muslims does not provide the needed balance, inclusion and cohesion that our diversity requires at this moment; it is for this reason that the quest to have a Southern Christian as President of the 10th Senate is laudable, commendable and most reassuring.

“Taking deliberate steps to reserve the position for the South with a Christian on the saddle is a bold move that has the propensity of further uniting Nigeria across both tribal and religious lines. It is a very desirable and progressive move that is capable of engendering peace and national stability. It will also demonstrate, empathy, accommodation and a sense of belonging that will erode the fear of exclusion and marginalization.

“ANA is however mindful of the fact that in the lead up to the determination of the Leadership of the 10th Senate, many highly qualified contenders have publicly thrown their hats into the ring; they come from different regions of the country; we therefore respectfully impress on the northerners among them especially the Muslims, to defer their ambition as a sacrifice to promote the spirit of brotherhood, fraternal accommodation and goodwill”, MoAllahyidi pleaded.

“The current dispensation requires leaders with character and tenacity; Senator Godswill Akpabio comes across as a gifted leader with an uncommon grace to navigate the treacherous and difficult political landscape, having built enduring bridges across the Political, ethnic and religious landscape of a multifaceted country like Nigeria, his political sagacity and accommodating win-win ethos will be the highly needed skills required to head the 10th Senate.

“ANA will like to use this opportunity to call on well-meaning Nigerians to support President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima, in their onerous task of taking Nigeria to great heights.”