Ibrahim Bakare/Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has made it clear that he will not support the opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to produce the Senate President in tenth national assembly.
Wike said that it will amount to a huge distraction for the new President from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to have a National Assembly like the Senate or House of Representatives being led by a Senate President or Speaker from an opposition party. He said that will engender lack of cooperation between the Executive and the Legislature. According to him that would hamper good governance and the people will suffer for it.
Wike made this clarification today, Tuesday, during a media chat with some selected broadcast media stations which was held in his private residence at Rumueprikom, Obio-Akpor local government area of the state, suburb of Port Harcourt.
The governor pointed out in democracy majority party should be allowed to produce the Senate President, while the minority parties settle for other slots for a smooth Executive and Legislature relationship.
Wike said the elected National Assembly members from Rivers will not support PDP’s quest to produce the Senate President. He said this is to forestall the unhealthy relationship that occurred during the Eighth Senate when Senator Bukola Saraki was elected President of Senate while in the opposition party with the help of some aggrieved Lawmakers from the ruling party.
He confirmed that a couple of Aspirants to the leadership of the national assembly have reached out to him for support.
On the argument that the President-Elect and his Deputy won with a Muslim-Muslim ticket and so the Senate President should be a Christian, Wike said he does not like playing with religious sentiment. But will wait to see the background of the candidates selected by the ruling APC before reacting with the candidacy will ensure inclusiveness as a country.