A group, Stayalert Human Right Awareness Initiative, has called on senators-elect to rally support for Senator Godswill Akpabio for President of the Senate and Barau Jibrin as deputy President of the Senate, respectively, in the interest of peace and unity of the country.
The executive director of the group, Ambassador Hilary Onah, who made the appeal during a press conference in Abuja, Thursday, said Akpabio is an experienced, competent, and result oriented person that can bring stability, progress, unity in the National Assembly and Nigeria at large.
According to him, Nigeria is on the part of healing and reconciliation and does not need ethnic or religious bigots at any level of governance but bridge builders like Akpabio and Jibrin.
He said: “No doubt Nigerian is shattered in every ramification including economically, politically and is highly divided along tribal and religious sentiments, thus fueling disunity and killings in many parts of the country. Many Nigerians have lost faith in Nigerians security, Democracy, Judiciary and in fact the government because of corruption and bad leaders.
“There is an increase in the number of people fleeing the country for greener pastures. Nigeria is in fact on a cross road and we need to elect patriotic people that believe in the unity and progress of Nigeria.
“Senators should shun religious and tribal sentiments when electing their leaders. They should elect senators that have the interest of the country at heart, people that are compassionate, honest and will assist the government deliver good governance and democratic dividends to Nigerians.”
Speaking further, he said fuel subsidy removal is one of the best economic policies of the present government.
He, however, said palliatives should be put in place to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.
He called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and security agencies to go after those who have been eating fat from the subsidy regime.
