By Abuja Reporter
Every Lagosian Matters (ELM), a Non-governmental Organisation, has advised President-Elect Bola Tinubu the incoming South-West APC-led government to consider zoning the office of the 10th Assembly Senate President to the South East in the spirit of federal character.
The group also urged the incoming government to focus on security, peace, unity and progress when sworn into office on May 29.
Mr Kenneth Ibe-Kalu, ELM National Coordinator, gave the advice in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ibe-Kalu said that allowing a Southeastern senate president would go a long way to rejuvenate trust and contribute to the development of our nation.
“The most qualified among the senators from the south east who has cognate and requisite experience, and exposure about Nigeria’s diversity is distinguished Sen. Orji Uzor-Kalu, the current Chief Whip of the 9th Senate.
“He is a former Governor and an incisive entrepreneur and political bridge builder,” he said.
Ibe-Kalu congratulated the entire APC support systems for winning the presidency for the third time since it took power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
He urged the president-elect to ensure that issues of insecurity, religious and ethnic conflicts become history under his government
“We use this medium to formally congratulate Nigeria’s President-Elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, for keeping a date with history in the recently concluded presidential election where he came top in a hotly contested three chord race.
“We pray that the Almighty God who has enthroned you to the highest office in the land equally gives you the wisdom and strength to lead this country to a land of hope, unity, progress and prosperity.
“Nigerians’ quest for a country that will stop devouring its inhabitants through numerous security breaches,” he said.
Ibe-Kalu urged the president-elect to also genuinely build a government of national unity by ensuring that all groups were represented in his government.
He called on political leaders of thought to synergise and ensue national reconciliation and peaceful co-existence as paramount factors of national survival.
The group also congratulated all elected and re-elected Governors across the country and charged them to ensure government of unity at the state level.
The ELM coordinator advised other contestants to see the 2023 general elections as a competition where a winner must emerge and losing is not a sign of weakness.
He urged all the state governors to reconcile and harmonise all interest groups with a view to galvanising their states for the task ahead of building working states.
Ibe-Kalu particularly urged the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to look into grey areas that had been the source of agitation with the aim of ameliorating them.
“We call on Lagosians to join hands as usual to support the developmental vision of the action governor of Lagos State as he commences his last term in office from 29th May, 2023.
“We would like to remind the governor to use this four years new mandate to build enduring legacies by immortalizing his name in the annals of history and the hall of fame as a leader of modern Lagos.
“The people and leaders of Ndigbo and every other ethnic group in the state should show love and support for the benefit of all in the state.
“The donation of One Hundred Million Naira to the Akere Motor Parts Dealers Association (AMPDA) and the foundation laying ceremony for rebuilding the market is already a show of uncommon love and kindness by the governor, ” he said.
Ibe-Kalu prayed that Nigeria becomes greater and more united under the new dispensation of government across the country.
