The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, says members of the 10th National Assembly should be allowed to choose their own leaders without interference from the executive.
Spokesman of the group, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed stated this in a television interview on Wednesday.
“It is not in the interest of President Tinubu to impose a leadership on the National Assembly. It is not in his interest.
“In fact, the farther he (Tinubu) is away from the tussle of who becomes Senate President and deputy the better.
“Legislators should be allowed to decide where positions go. That is the argument I have made. I haven’t made an argument saying it must go to the north. I have said there are other elements that need to be considered.
“If the decision is made freely and fairly by legislators, it can go to the south, we will live with it. It can go to the north, we will deal with it. There is no problem.”
Baba-Ahmed said the position of the Senate president was primus inter pares, warning that anyone who finally emerged due to executive interference could be impeached.
In the just-concluded elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) secured over 170 of the 360 seats in the House of Representatives, while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with over 100 seats, as Labour Party, LP, got over 35 seats and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) about 20.
