Senate Presidency: It’s undemocratic to rely on external endorsement – Group tells Akpabio

Senator-elect and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio has been accused of relying heavily on external endorsement as means of clinching the position of Senate President next Tuesday.

A pro-democracy group, Coalition for Parliamentary Democracy (CPD), said it’s undemocratic endorsing the leadership of the parliament.

The group, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Menike Johnson, which was made available to DAILY POST on Thursday, urged Akpabio to show legislative capacity or quit the race.

It said it was a show of capacity that will earn him the support of his colleagues for the Office of the Senate President, adding that the leadership of the parliament has never been micro-zoned to an individual since the return of democracy in 1999.

It expressed fear that the present scenario will give credence to mediocrity, incompetence corrupt and the parliament being an appendage of the executive.

The pro-democracy group stressed that they were aware of other contestants moving round canvassing for support of their colleagues which they insisted was the best way to get elected.

The statement said: “CPD commend Senators-elect for their support for Senator Abdul’aziz Yari.

“Also other contestants who are reaching out to their colleagues shows the beauty of democracy, and stabilise the parliament.

“We urged the ruling All Progressives Congress to toe the line parliamentary engagement that allow lawmakers chose their own leaders.

“Selecting an individual to lead the Senate and House of Representatives will only worsen the division in the party and deny it the ability to maintain a healthy relationship with its lawmakers.”