A group and apex socio-cultural organization of Annang people, in Akwa Ibom state, Afe Annang, has joined calls for Senator Godswill Akpabio to be elected President of the 10th Senate.
The organization noted that the South-South has never produced the Senate President since the return of democracy in the country, hence should be zoned to the region.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday signed by it's President, His Majesty Blaise Udofia and national publicity secretary, Sunny Udom, the organization said that Akpabio is qualified to be Senate President.
While congratulating Akpabio for emerging victorious in the February 25 National Assembly elections, the Afe Annang said the victory was a call for higher service.
The statement reads in parts, "That the victory in the understanding of Annang people and the entire Akwa Ibom State, was a clear sent-forth mandate given to Senator Akpabio to engage his colleagues for support for the senate presidency.
"Senator Akpabio is eminently qualified in terms of zoning, national and international connections and networking, experience in good governance, and past political performance records.
"As far as zoning is concerned the South-South stands out as the zone to beat as no Senate President has ever been produced by the zone since after the late Senator Joseph Wayas left the office in 1983-40 years ago.
"If it is considered that our sister zone, the South-East has produced 5 Senate Presidents (one from each of its 5 states) in an unbroken back-to-back stream of 16 years in this Fourth Republic alone, all with the support of the South-South, then the South-East should take this as a payback period to support the South-South for their turn"
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The group urged the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the other 108 Senators to massively support Akpabio for the number one Senate seat, adding that Akpabio was the first aspirant to step down for Tinubu during the presidential primary of the All Progresssives Congress (APC)
"Senator Akpabio's sweeping victory on February 25, 2023 also ensured that the President-elect gained 33 per cent votes which is more than the constitutional requirement of 25per cent in Akwa Ibom State.
"For the President-elect, it is also reciprocal to reward the loyalty of the South-South which gave him about 800,000 votes on February 25, 2023 while the South-East gave him a paltry 100,000 votes", Afe Annang added.
