Vice President, Kashim Shettima has said under the current dispensation, the worst and most incompetent Southern Christian is better than the most puritanical Northern Muslim for the Senate Presidency.
He also said he was ready to kneel down to beg the incoming senators to give Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin, opportunity to lead the 10th Assembly.
Shettima said this at an interaction with senators across party lines held in Abuja.
“I’m ready to kneel down and beg my colleagues for the sake of the nation. This is for the survival of this nation.
“Here we are with a Muslim president and a Muslim vice-president in a multi ethnic, multi religious polity like ours.
“Number 1, 2. All of the same faith for God sake!!!.
“Under the current dispensation, the worst, the most incompetent Southern Christian is better than the most puritanical Northern Muslim for the Presidency of the Senate,” he said.
Shettima added: “Equity, justice and fairness demands that the number three citizen of this country should be Christian.
“What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. But most importantly, we should make deliberate efforts to take inclusivity in governance.
“This is a young nation where every community will like to have fair representation on the dinner table of their kinsmen.
“Politics is about perception, politics is about optics. I want to appeal to you, I want to appeal to your conscience.”
“The stability and inclusivity and togetherness of this nation supersedes the depth of our pockets, stability of our pockets.
“We are talking about the sustainability of the nation.The nation is in a crossroad”.
Also speaking, Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno) said that the stability group had 73 persons who had signed for the Akpabio/Barau ticket.
“We are working very hard to support you in your course for the stability of this country.
“We have committed ourselves to your administration alongside President Bola Tinubu to ensure the stability of the Nigeria.
“The last time we had a meeting with the lawmakers-elect across party lines, the president shook hands with each one of us and called us by our native names.
“This is one administration that will not only be people-oriented but close to the grassroot, ” he said.
He added: “So far, the decisions that are coming out are those that will strengthen Nigeria.
“We’ll see Nigeria change before our very eyes and we’re committed to being a part of that change. We assure you not just of our loyalty but the stability of the parliament.”
Similarly, Jibrin said “I must begin by thanking His Excellency, the vice- president for his uncommon commitment.
“To the actualisation of all those that have been endorsed by the party to preside over the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“Your commitment is not to us as persons, it’s to the stability and peaceful coexistence of the people and indeed the progress of this nation.