Vice National Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has described the subterranean plot by Muslim aspirants to take the mantle of leadership of the National Assembly as an aberration.
Lukman, in a piece titled: “Cash-and-Carry Contest for Leadership of 10th National Assembly,” argued that any Muslim aspiring for the position of Senate President has no respect for both the constitutions of Nigeria and the APC.
He contended that with two Muslims already elected to be sworn in as President and Vice President on May 29, any attempt to consider another Muslim as Senate President would promote dominance of Muslims in the Federal Government and would be injurious to national unity and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria as a sovereign entity, which must not be allowed.
Lukman noted: “This is because Chapter II, Section 14(3) of the Nigerian Constitution clearly outlined that the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby, ensuring that there shall be no predominance, of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.
“Further, the APC constitution enjoined party leaders and members to render service at all levels of governance, and to build a nation, which will guarantee equal opportunity for all, mutual and peaceful co-existence, respect and understanding, eliminating all forms of discrimination and social injustice among Nigerians, rendering selfless service that will rekindle a deep sense of patriotism and nationalism.”
The Kaduna-born politician regretted that some of those jostling for the leadership seats of the federal legislature have resorted to self help by “bribing” his colleagues in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to zone the Senate President and Speaker seats to their regions.
He warned that once aspirants win leadership positions through cash-and-carry methods, their loyalty to government and the ruling party will be weak, as such a person could even hold the government hostage in pursuance of their personal ambitions.
Lukman said it was incumbent on the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led APC to take every step to sanction all those mobilising support for their aspirations based on arm-twisting.
