Abdulmumin Jibrin, member-elect of the house of representatives, says a northern Muslim should not be supported to become senate president.
Speaking on Wednesday in an interview with Channels Television, Jibrin said, using the 1999 template, the next senate president should be from the south-east geopolitical zone.
Jibrin is expected to represent the Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency in Kano state at the 10th national assembly.
Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th national assembly in June, there has been intense politicking by lawmakers electing leaders for positions in the senate and house of representatives.
Since Bola Tinubu, president-elect, and Kashim Shettima, vice president-elect, are both Muslims, there have been suggestions that there is a need for religious balancing in leadership positions in the national assembly.
Commenting on the situation, Jibrin said the positions of the deputy senate president and speaker should be zoned to the north-central and north-west, respectively.
“My personal opinion is that, if you look at the entire controversy of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, I think anybody who loves this country should not be thinking that the number 3 position should be a northern Muslim,” he said.
“The appropriate thing is that the position should go to a southern Christian.”
“I believe that anybody who wants it the other way around loves himself more than the country.”