Senate Presidency: Arewa Youth Parliament Endorses Akume

George AkumeAn umbrella body of all Northern youth organizations under the aegis of Arewa Youth Parliament, yesterday threw their weight behind the current Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, to emerge as the Senate President in the incoming 8th National Assembly.

Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, the national coordinator of the group, who doubles as Speaker of the Youth Parliament, Rt. Hon. Bashir M. Maru, noted that as Senate Minority Leader in the 7th National Assembly, Senator Akume had been a strong rallying point for opposition parties and stabilizer of the nation’s democracy.

Rt. Hon. Maru said “it is a democratic norm in advanced democracies that when a minority party becomes the majority, following successful elections, the Minority Leader automatically becomes the leader of the parliament in question.

“It is a known fact that Senator George Akume is a third-term senator, who has distinguished himself as Pan-Arewa, detribalised Nigerian with impeccable track records and antecedents. For someone who led the opposition in the Senate for four years without any form of controversy or sycophancy, we are confident that he will lead the country’s upper legislative chamber successfully as the president.

“We, hereby, endorse distinguished Senator George Akume as the next President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a genuine breed of Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto) school of thought, always putting the interest of the people first, above any other consideration. He is a man of goodwill, courage and strength of character”, Rt. Hon. Maru added.

The youth group called on stakeholders to add their voice to the clamour for an Akume Senate Presidency, saying his emergence would further deepen the nation’s democracy.

Meanwhile, the youth parliament has also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for the fair and peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections.

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