By Ejiofor Ogudu 


The Good Governance Support Group for GOA, GGSGOA, on Thursday, June 1, 2023 in Abuja, pulled their weight behind the APC non-serving Senators and other critical stakeholders to prop up  APC's preferred candidates for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, urging other candidates to drop their ambitions in deference to the doctrine of 'Party Supremacy'.


Setting the tone at the well attended meeting, held at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Sheraton Hotels in Abuja, the Nation’s capital city, the convener of the meeting, Senator Basheer Lado, appealed to other rumored aspirants, to toe the party line, so as to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.


“We are convinced that a strong party capable of whipping its members into line stand a better chance to oversight its members in the executive and legislative branches of government and ensuring thereby that the party manifesto and governance philosophy are religiously observed and executed.


“We were all witnesses to the dislocation that occurred when the legislators rebelled against the party and the president to install their own officers against the position of the party during the first four years of the immediate past administration and the last four years of the administration before it” Lado said.


On his part, Dr. John Harry, the National Coordinator of the GGSGOA, who led the group’s delegation to the parley, aligned with the view of Elder Statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, who speaking earlier, had stated categorically, that Akpabio was qualified to hold the position of Senate President because of his pedigree.


“I align myself totally with the view of Yakasai. What he said has always been the position of GGSGOA, that Akpabio is best suited for the office of the Senate President, not necessarily because he is of the south south stock, but because he is the aspirant with the most broad based experience in public service. A pedigree of service as former governor, former Senate Minority leader and former minister of the Federal Republic, ranks him higher amongst his peers” Harry said.


Chief Olusegun Osoba on his part, urged the APC Non-serving Senators and other stakeholders like the GGSGOA, to lobby other aspirants to drop their ambition in the interest of the party.


“I want to appeal to you on two issues. Let us all organize a serious lobby system by convening a meeting of all aspirants for the position of Senate President in the 10th Senate to make them see reason why they should toe the line of the party.


“Let us go back to our states and lobby our Senators-elect to support the choices of the party. With this I believe we shall achieve our goal without any hitch” Osoba said.


The delegation of the GGSGOA to the meeting included Hon. Patty Ineme Etete, Chairman of Board of Trustees, Princess Nelly Akpan, Member BOT, Mr. Udo Silas, National Media Adviser and Mr. Greg Fiberesima, member of BOT.