A Memo to APC National Working Committee and President-Elect Tinubu
By Mu’azu Ibn Abdallah
At last, the much eagerly anticipated 2023 general election has been contested, won and lost. Thus, I would first and foremost like to seize this golden opportunity to felicitate with the All Progressive Congress, APC, family for winning the Presidency as well as majority of national assembly, gubernatorial and state assembly elections across the length and breadths of the country.
This is indeed a remarkable achievement which if adequately sustained would continue to position APC as the ruling party in the country and the largest in the African continent. It is obvious that Nigerians voted for the party because they believed in the messages of RENEWED HOPE which the party promised them.
The citizens hope for a better life and a prosperous future which can only be delivered if the party strictly adheres to the principles of social justice, equity and social inclusion.
It is no more news that the party is set to make a formal announcement with regards to the zoning of political leadership in the country and with the president-elect and Vice President-elect already coming from the South-West and North-East geopolitical zones respectively.
Thus, it behoves me to call the attention of the Members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, President Muhammad Buhari, the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu and all other critical stakeholders to consider as a matter of necessity and in the best interest of the party and the spirit of equity and social justice to zone the Presidency of the 10th Senate to the North-West zone. This call is timely, necessary and very apt especially taking into consideration the following reasons.
First, there is a need for the party to demonstrate clearly that it always appreciates and rewards members’ confidence, support and loyalty by zoning the senate presidency to the North-West where it got the highest votes which made it easier for the party to course into the present victory.
In the long run, this will pave the way for the emergence of competitive races among the zones as to who will produce the highest votes for the party in the subsequent elections which will in turn leads to more and more votes for the party.
Moreover, this has been the tradition in the political arrangement of Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999 where the region that gives the ruling party highest votes is favored for such position.
For instance, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasnjo, PDP zoned the senate presidency to the South-East for the fact that the zone overwhelmingly voted for the PDP.
Also, during the tenure of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and President Jonathan, the Senate Presidency was zoned to the North-Central Zone for the same reason.
Therefore, in the present circumstance, the North-West zone due to its significant contribution to the victory of APC in the presidential election garnering about 2.7 million votes ( the highest among the six geopolitical zones in the country) deserved to be rewarded with this juicy position.
This is in addition to the fact that the zone has never produced a senate president despite its strategic relevance in Nigerian politics.
Secondly, as the largest political party in Africa, the party is expected to draw lessons and experiences from the just concluded 2023 general elections and embark on early preparations and strategic planning towards the 2027 elections so as to address some of the challenges faced in the recent polls and to make sure that RENEWED HOPE is extended to 2031 and beyond.
The party should do everything humanly possible to avoid the costly mistakes of losing Kano, Kaduna and Katsina which ideally should have cost the party its success (if not for the disorganization of the opposition and the confidence of the Nigerians on the party’s candidates).
Historically, these three states are strategic in Nigerian politics just like California in American politics and the time to start planning for the recovery of the 3Ks (and the entire north-west and Nigeria in general) is now.
To that effect, zoning the senate presidency to the region and ensuring a competent and high-profile politician with a record of effective political strategy and the confidence of the electorates is elected into the coveted position.
This would help APC to address the existential threats posed by Sen Rabi’u Kwankwaso’s New Nigerian People Party, NNPP, which caused the APC significant harm in the recent elections.
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Thirdly, Senate presidency is a sine qua non to the success of every democratic administration- a sensitive office that may make or mar the realization of the APC’s much anticipated RENEWED HOPE, and the party should try as much as possible to avoid the repeat of the circumstances similar to what transpired in the build up to the inauguration of the 8th senate which subsequently led to the emergence of the leadership against the party aspiration (including some positions going to the opposition party).
To avoid this, the party should as a matter of national interest and social justice zone the presidency to the North-West zone due to the fact that the zone is still the stronghold of the APC (with highest number of registered voters, highest number of APC card-carrying members, five state Governors and many members of the National Assembly).
Also the zone is blessed with high-profile politicians who can network and canvass the support of senators-elect from across the geopolitical zones for whoever emerged as the candidate from the zone.
Coincidentally, the North-West zone is blessed with wide range of high-ranking law-makers with effective legislative and administrative experience to fit into the job and if elected and can efficiently and excellently provide the president-elect with the requisite collaboration and support required for synergy and complementarity to deliver his mission of RENEWED HOPE to the Nigerians. Top on this list is Senator Barau I. Jibrin CON, representing Kano North Senatorial district who recently declared his interest to run for the 3rd ranking position in the country.
Senator Jibrin, a third-term law-maker who has demonstrated his political capability by winning the Kano North senatorial seat continuously for three consecutive elections, and more importantly, in the most recent election despite the threats of annihilation faced by APC he was able to strategically defied the NNPP’s onslaught and return his senatorial district to the APC and large proportion of votes for the presidential candidates as well.
Senator Jibrin is a politician who has solid experience and impeccable pedigree, a track record of success working both as lawmaker and as an administrator and one who has never been involved in any form of scandal or incidents of any corrupt practices by any of the federal government anti-corruption bodies.
Finally, the success of the incoming administration in actualizing the RENEWED HOPE depends largely on the type of legislative leadership it will work with, as such the president-elect needs no any person as the president of the senate other than Distinguished Senator Barau Jibrin.
A soft-spoken, laid-back, highly motivated and experienced legislator who has the respect and cooperation of his colleagues and who has been responsible and successful in every position he has held due to his charisma and humbleness.
An experienced law-maker who has held the position of the appropriations committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and has been successful in discharging his duties and guaranteeing thorough budget oversight. Senator Barau has also served as the vice-chairman of the Senate’s committee on Petroleum resources (Downstream) and later served as the chairperson of the same committee. He has previously held various positions such as the chairman of the Kano state Investment and Properties Ltd, Kano state commissioner of science and Technology and a member of a committee Budgetary procedure.
ClAll in all, the just concluded elections have further indicated that Nigerians have higher hope for a better country, they have spoken with their votes on the direction they want the country to advance and the elections have indicated that the citizens still have confidence in APC.
And from his acceptance speech when INEC issued him with the certificate of return, the President-Elect has clearly demonstrated his commitment and motivation to embark on the renewal journey which he promised Nigerians during the campaigns.
As such, he needs a committed and motivated President of the Senate with whom they can deliver effectively to Nigerians the better life and prosperity promised in the RENEWED HOPE messages.
To achieve this, the President-Elect need to work with equally motivated, experienced and committed President of the Senate. I still reiterate that among all those who are capable and eligible to contest for the senate presidency, no candidate deserves such an exalted position more than Senator Barau Jibrin.
Nigerians have been yearning so much to reach the promised land- the El Dorado, but with Tinubu and a capable President of the Senate by his side, a better Nigeria is possible.
Muazu ibn Abdallah wrote in via [email protected]
