Leader of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, has pleaded with Abdulaziz Yari, former governor of Zamfara State and frontline senate presidential aspirant, to concede to former Abia State governor and Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, yesterday, Shettima said allowing a south easterner and Christian to be Senate president would help strengthen the unity of the country.
He said the partnership between Yari and Kalu was well accepted in the North even as he appealed to Yari to accept the position of deputy Senate president.
“We are happy with the strong partnership between the North and South in Senator Abdulaziz Yari and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. We are aware that they are yet to formally announce to Nigerians on who becomes the senate president and who becomes the deputy. We are happy that the two are ready to accept the decisions between the two groups.
“We also know that Yari has an upper hand in the partnership since he has about 42 senators, while Kalu has about 27 senators making the partnership to have 69 senators in their fold. But we are appealing to Yari to consider the future of the country in this critical time and accept the deputy senate president position. There is actually no difference between the senate president and deputy senate president since the two are presiding officers.
“We only think that for religious balancing and for peace and unity of the country, the South East deserves to produce the senate president. Senator Uzor Kalu is a detribalised Nigerian who has built relationships across all regions. He is very close with President Tinubu and his family. He is close to the North and the South South. He would make a good senate president because of his capacity, competence and experience. He is very peaceful and patient and It is only right that Yari consider this appeal and allow Kalu to be the Senate President in their joint ticket. The North will hold him in high esteem and would forever acknowledge his unwavering commitment to unity of the nation,” he said.