An interest group, Northern Ethnic Youths Group Assembly has urged northern senators to rally support for the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in the interest of national unity and progress.

The group made the call in a statement by its spokesperson, Ibrahim Dan-Musa, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Dan-Musa said it would be unfair to view the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi as anti-North, considering the fact that the National Assembly was guided by its Standing Orders.

According to him, Mr Akpabio’s activities have not, in any way, contradicted the rules of the Senate.

He also called on northern political leaders to consider national interest, saying that any action capable of putting the unity of the nation at risk would not augur well at this critical time.

Mr Dan-Musa said that the group acknowledged the fact that the Senate president was not expected to be perfect, as a human being.

He further stated that senators from the North were expected to rally support for Mr Akpabio, just as their southern counterparts supported Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe when he was President of the Ninth Senate.

Mr Dan-Musa said that Mr Akpabio had so far demonstrated his interest in national unity, adding that he had carried every geo-political zone along and should, therefore, not be crucified over nothing.

He said, “We watched the plenary on the very day Ningi, from Bauchi, was suspended and the decision was seen to be popular, considering the fact that none of the senators was able to justify his action. That shows that he was not suspended because he is from the North but because of his action, as he was unwilling to tender an apology on this same issue.

“We call on the political leaders to wake up to the new political awareness and orientation, as the old political practices are no longer in tandem with global best practices.

“Since Ahmed Lawan, Saraki, and David Mark enjoyed the completion of their tenure, courtesy of support from the southern part, it is now incumbent on the northern region to support Akpabio to complete his term,” he said.

(NAN)