The Ethnic Youth Leaders Council of Nigeria (EYLC) has thrown its weight behind Zamfara West Senator-elect, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, to emerge Senate President in the next 10th National Assembly.
EYLC is apolitical, non-religious, multi-ethnic and egalitarian coalition of youth leaders in Nigeria.
The group further urged President Bola Tinubu to steer clear of the election of presiding officers for the 10th National Assembly as a Democrat, who will want democracy to thrive in Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by the Convener of EYLC, Comrade Godwin Meliga, he said Yari was the most eligible among the contenders for the coveted legislative office and also possesses the requisite political pedigree to become the next Senate President.
“The Ethnic Youth Leaders Council of Nigeria (EYLC) wishes to announce that following a painstaking analysis of all the top aspirants for the Presidency of the 10th Senate, we reached the unassailable conclusion that Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari is the most eligible candidate to be our next Senate President. We therefore humbly implore the President and Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to kindly steer clear of the politics of the National Assembly and allow the Federal Legislators to elect the various leaders of their choice, while appealing to all the distinguished members of the 10th Senate to cast their votes for Sen. Yari in the upcoming National Assembly Elections.
“It is instructive to state that the Ethnic Youth Leaders Council of Nigeria has an impeccable pedigree as Nigeria’s foremost apolitical, nonreligious, multi-ethnic and egalitarian coalition of youth leaders. Our membership is drawn from all the religions, ethnic groups and political affiliations operating legally in the country, and our cardinal objective from inception till date has been to advocate for national unity, peace and development. Hence, we place a premium on the pursuit of justice, equity and fairness in all matters of national interest,” he stated.
Meliga added that the EYLC was strongly of the view that for equity and fairness to be achieved in the national political power equation, the Senate Presidency in the current political dispensation should be zoned to the North-West geopolitical zone because the region brought the highest number of votes into the kitty for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election.
“Furthermore, we advocate the micro-zoning of the Senate Presidency to Zamfara State where Sen. Yari hails from, because despite the state’s huge contribution to the victory of the APC at the presidential poll, the party still lost the state in the subsequent gubernatorial election. President Tinubu won in 12 out of the 14 local government areas in Zamfara State. Therefore, Zamfara deserves to be fairly compensated with an esteemed elective office in the current political dispensation, and the upcoming NASS Elections afford us the ample opportunity to strike the balance.
“But beyond the political dynamics of regional compensation, the Office of the President of the Senate is a much venerated office in Nigeria which deserves to be manned by only the most eligible aspirant in terms of competence, experience, versatility and esteem amongst other Senators. That is why even though Kano State, being another North-Western state, contributed more votes to the APC than Zamfara State in the last presidential poll; and the APC equally lost the gubernatorial election in Kano, we didn’t feel justified to support any Senator-elect from Kano State for the Senate Presidency because Sen. Yari far outstripped them all with regards to political clout, experience, versatility and acceptability by fellow Senators.
“Although the Senate Presidency is statutorily a Legislative Office, the Senate President has to effectively discharge the highest levels of both executive and legislative functions as the Chairman of the National Assembly in order to ensure harmony of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and synergy of the National Assembly with other arms of government and the larger society. In some instances, the Senate President may even discharge quasi judicial functions to promote smooth proceedings on the Floor of the Senate.
“Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari had previously served as Member representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2011, before serving for two terms as Governor of Zamfara State from 2011 to 2019. He was further elected into the Senate in 2019, before the Supreme Court nullified his election on the ground of not being validly nominated through party primaries. Therefore, Sen. Yari’s political experience transcends the National Assembly alone, making him the most versatile and experienced amongst the top aspirants for the Senate Presidency.
“Finally, we are of the view that for the Tinubu Administration to achieve its laudable policy thrusts to the benefit of all Nigerians, the National Assembly must be fully alive to its legislative and oversight functions while maintaining its absolute independence; and Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari is the most competent, tested and trusted aspirant for the Senate Presidency who can seamlessly rally other Senators towards achieving peak legislative performance,” the group stated.