A South East Youth Alliance has supported the endorsement of Senator Ahmad Lawan, by the All Progressives Congress (APC,) as senate president, for the Ninth Senate, and has recommended senator-elect, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, for the position of deputy senate president.
Coordinator of the group, Chief Emmanuel Ekeoma, made this known when he spoke with newsmen in Enugu.
Ekeoma stressed the need for a Lawan and Kalu senate leadership.
“Much is expected from the Ninth Senate.
“For President Muhammadu Buhari to have rated the Eighth National Assembly below average, Nigerians are looking up to the Ninth Senate, which leadership is anticipated to be anchored by the ruling APC.
“We believe that, with the right personalities leading the senate, the Ninth Senate is sure of making unprecedented impact on Nigeria.
“It is good development for APC to have nominated senator Lawan for the position of senate president. On the same note, the party should shun politics of self but put Nigeria first.
“This shouldn’t just be seen as an opportunity for the North East to produce the next senate president or the South East to produce the next deputy senate president but an opportunity for APC to present a credible senate to Nigerians. APC should not allow politics of ethnicity or religion to blind them and scuttle the opportunity..
“Nigeria needs a progressive National Assembly that will not sabotage passage of budgets and bills to the detriment of development.
“We are confident that senator Lawan will bring to bear on the leadership of the Red Chamber, his experience in the senate, for years, to steer the wheel of the senate while senator Kalu will tap into his versed experience in legislation, at the House of representatives and experience garnered in governance, for eight uninterrupted years, to deputise while leveraging on his versed business and political executive experience.
