Why It’s Unfair To Have Leaders Of Three Arms Of Government From The South – Yari

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, May 16th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Abdulaziz Yari, the senator-elect representing Zamfara West, has stated that it would be unfair to the northern part of the country if leaders of the three arms of government are from the south.

Yari made this known during an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday.

The African Examiner writes that the former Zamfara governor, who had declared his interest in the senate presidency last month, has been one of those kicking against the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the leadership of the 10th national assembly.

The ruling party had selected Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau as president of the senate and deputy senate president respectively.

Yari was one of the senators-elect who delivered a “protest letter” to the leadership of the APC concerning the zoning formula.

Commenting on his opposition to the party’s stance, Yari stated that the move would mean the leaders of all three arms of the incoming government are from the south.

Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, is from Lagos; Olukayode Ariwoola, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), is from Oyo; and Akpabio is from Akwa Ibom.
“Right from the beginning, the party has a tradition of widening the consultation: meeting with the president and all the members of the national assembly; because it is not the party’s business but that of the country,” the senator-elect said.

“But the party did not do any of the above, and what we saw in the media was that they had two meetings, and we were given names to adopt. That is not adequate enough. Because all of them are just advisory bodies, the constitution gives the right to choose national assembly leaders to only the parliamentarians. The party can zone, but it is left for the individual to accept or reject.

“APC has zoned and now we are asking them questions: On what basis? Have you taken into cognizance the federal character? The president, chief justice of the federation and national assembly chairman –all the three arms of government — are in one place? The chief justice is from Oyo state, Tinubu is from Lagos state, and Akpabio is from Akwa Ibom, all at the same time. And the next chief justice is also going to be from the southwest.”

Yari further disclosed that the implication is that all three arms of government will be controlled by the southern part of Nigeria, describing the situation as lopsided.