The Citizen Advocacy Group (CAG) got rid of what is known as imposition of candidate for the position of the Senate President on the 10th National Assembly.

In a statement by Chris George, the convener, and Haruna Kabir, the secretary, it states that the conclusion by the leadership of APC to choose the Senate president is an affront on the principle of separation of power.

“What the party has done is an autocratic imposition which has no place in a democracy as it poses serious danger to independent legislature and an attack on the principle of separation of power. We in the Citizens Advocacy Group believe the concerned Senators-elect should be allowed to make their choice based on the experience, competence and the qualification of each aspirant.

“If you are zoning it to a particular zone of the country, you cannot say this is the person that should be the Senate President from that zone when you have other candidates from the same zone who have expressed interest in the position.

“For instance, the position of the Senate President was zoned to the South-South geopolitical zone, are we saying there are no other candidates from that zone who are qualified and competent enough to become the Senate President? The zone alone has six states including Akwa Ibom where the APC’s anointed candidate hails from; Cross River, Delta, Rivers, Edo and Bayelsa States.

“Why should we exclude five other states despite also having qualified senators-elect, both new and returning who have the experience to lead the Senate? Politics of exclusion in a democratic setting like Nigeria would only breed enmity, ill-feeling and rancour which the incoming administration cannot afford in a country already deeply divided.

“We believe the race should be thrown open for all the candidates who have expressed interest from the zone to test their strength and popularity in a free and fair contest and anything short of that would not augur well for the smooth take-off of the 10th Assembly.” Says the group.