Category: Lead

     APC SENATORS-ELECT

• Orji Uzor Kalu                                                 Abia North

• Elisha Cliff Ishaku                                          Adamawa North

• Godswill Obot Akpabio                                  Akwa Ibom N/West

• Umar Salihu Baba                                         Bauchi South

• Udende Memsa Emmanuel                                     Benue North East

• Titus Tartengar Zam                                    Benue North West

• Mohammed Tahir Monguno                                   Borno North

• Kaka Shehu Lawan                                       Borno Central

• Mohammed Ali Ndume                                             Borno South

• Williams Eteng Jonah                                  Cross River Central 

• Ekpenyong Asuquo                                     Cross River South

• Dafinone Ede Omueya                                               Delta Central 

• Joel Onowakpo Ewomazino                                     Delta South

• Nwebonyi Onyeka Peter                                          Ebonyi North

• Eze Kenneth Emeka                                    Ebonyi Central

• Nweze David Umahi                   Ebonyi South

• Okpebholo Sunday                      Edo Central

• Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole                          Edo North

• Fasuyi Cyril Oluwole                    Ekiti North

• Bamidele Michael Opeyemi                     Ekiti Central

• Adaramodu Adeyemi Raphael                                Ekiti South 

• Mohammed Danjuma Goje                     Gombe Central

• Osita Bonaventure Izunaso                      Imo West

• Ndubueze Patrick Chiwuba                      Imo North

• Abdulhamid Madori Ahmed                    Jigawa North East

• Hussaini Babangida Uba                            Jigawa North West

• Barau Jibrin                     Kano North

• Nasir Sani Zangon Daura                            Katsina North 

• Dandutse Mutari Mohammed                                Katsina South

• Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua                         Katsina Central

• Isah Jibrin                        Kogi East

• Sadiku Abubakar Ohere                            Kogi Central

• Sunday Steve Karimu                 Kogi West

• Umar Sadiq Sulaiman                  Kwara North

• Salihu Mustapha                           Kwara Central

• Oyelola Yisa Ashiru                      Kwara South

• Sanni Wasiu Eshilokun                                Lagos Central

• Abiru Mukhail Adetokunbo                     Lagos East

• Idiat Oluranti Adebule                                Lagos West

• Mohammed Sani Musa                             Niger East

• Sani Bello Abubakar                    Niger North 

• Salisu Shuaib Afolabi                   Ogun Central 

• Daniel Justus Olugbenga                           Ogun East

• Solomon Olamilekan Adeola                   Ogun West

• Ipinasagba Emmanuel Olajide                 Ondo North 

• Adegbonmire Adeniyi Ayodele                              Ondo Central 

• Jimoh Ibrahim Folorunso                          Ondo South

• Akintunde Yunus Abiodun                       Oyo Central

• Buhari Abdulfatai                         Oyo North

• Alli Sharafadeen Abiodun                         Oyo South 

• Diket Plang – Plateau                   Central 

• David Jimkatu                                Taraba South 

• Ibrahim Geidam                            Yobe East

• Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan                               Yobe North

• Ibrahim Bomai                               Yobe South 

• Sahabi Ya’u                     Zamfara North

• Abubakar Abdulaziz Yari                            Zamfara West

• Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko                 Sokoto North

• Ibrahim Gobir                                Sokoto East

   PDP SENATORS-ELECT

• Yaroe Binos Dauda                       Adamawa South

• Aminu Iya Abass                           Adamawa Central 

• Bassey Aniekan Etim                   Akwa Ibom N/ East 

• Akpan Ekong Samson                                 Akwa Ibom South

• Abdul Ningi                     Bauchi Central

• Samaila Dahuwa Kila                   Bauchi North

• Agadaga Benson Sunday                           Bayelsa East

• Benson Friday Konbowei                          Bayelsa Central 

• Henry Seriake Dickson                               Bayelsa West

• Patrick Abba Moro                       Benue South

• Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe                  C/River North

• Nwoko Chinedu Munir                              Delta North

• Ngwu Osita                     Enugu West

• Ibrahim Hassan Dakwambo                     Gombe North

• Yaro Anthony Siyako                   Gombe South 

• Khabeeb Mustapha                    Jigawa S/West

• Khalid Ibrahim Mustapha                          Kaduna North

• Lawal Adamu Usman                  Kaduna Central 

• Katung Sunday Usman                               Kaduna South

• Mohammed Adamu Aliero                      Kebbi Central

• Musa Garba                    Kebbi South

• Onawo Mohammed Ogoshi                    Nasarawa South

• Jiya Peter Ndalikali                       Niger South

• Fadeyi Oluwole Olubiyi                              Osun Central

• Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi                    Osun East

• Oyewumi Kamorudeen Olarere             Osun West

• Napoleon Binkap Bali                  Plateau South 

• Mwadkwon Simon Davou                        Plateau North 

• Onyesoh Allwell Heacho                           Rivers East 

• Mpigi Barinda                 Rivers South East

• Ipalibo Harry Banigo                    Rivers West

• Manu Haruna                 Taraba Central

• Isa Shaibu Lau                                Taraba North 

• Aminu Tambuwal                         Sokoto South

• Ikra Aliyu Bilbis                              Zamfara Central 

• Yahaya Abdullahi                          Kebbi North 

   LP SENATORS-ELECT

• Darlington Nwokeocha              Abia Central 

• Tony Nwoye   Anambra North 

• Victor Umeh   Anambra Central

• Imasuen Neda Bernards           Edo South

• Ezea Okechukwu          Enugu North 

• Onyewuchi Ezenwa Francis      Imo East

• Kelvin Chukwu              Enugu East

• Ireti Heebah Kingibe   FCT

    SDP SENATORS-ELECT

• Godiya Akwashiki         Nasarawa North 

• Aliyu Ahmed Wadada Nasarawa West

    NNPP SENATORS-ELECT

• Rufai Hanga    Kano Central

• Kawu Sulaiman Abduraman     Kano South

   APGA SENATOR-ELECT

• Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe    Abia South

    YPP SENATOR ELECT

• Ifeanyi Patrick Uba      Anambra South

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the collation of Saturday’s supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State.

National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye said on the Commission’s Twitter handle that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa state and the Returning Officer have been summoned to Abuja with immediate effect.

This followed the premature announcement of the winner of the election when collation had not been concluded by the Resident Electoral Commissioner who is not empowered to do so.

Read Also: BREAKING: INEC summons REC, Returning Officer over Adamawa guber election 

The statement said “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.

“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.

“Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.

“The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately”.

Okiye said the commission will issue a detailed statement on the issue later.

• Suspends collation of results 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has summoned the Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) over the purported declaration of a winner in the state governorship election.

The declaration had stoked controversy and elicited protests from opposition parties. 

Before the collation of exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced — and Binani was trailing Ahmadu Fintiri, the incumbent governor and PDP candidate.

The Nation reports state REC, Barr Hudu Yunusa had announced Senator Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, as the winner of the Adamawa Governorship election.

Read Also: INEC declares APC candidate winner of Kudan Assembly seat in Kaduna

But a terse statement signed by the National Commissioner, Information & Voter Education, Barr. Festus Okoye described the action of the REC as a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. 

Okoye stated that the commission has also suspended the collation process. 

He said: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of a winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.

“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.

“The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately. Detailed statement to follow shortly.”

• House leader Doguwa bounces back in Kano
• Anxiety in Kebbi, Adamawa over guber elections
• Six feared killed in A\bom; INEC cancels Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency poll

By Bassey Anthony, Uyo/Onimisi Alao,Yola/Kolade Adeyemi, Jos/Joel Duku, Damaturu/Bisi Olaniyi,Benin

Senators-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC) increased by two last night from 57 as results of the supplementary elections held in 23 states of the federation began to trickle in at press time.

Ibrahim Bomai won the Yobe South Senatorial seat while Diket Plang emerged from Plateau Central Senatorial seat.

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, was similarly declared the winner of the Tudun Wada/Doguwa Constituency seat in Kano State.

Final results of the Adamawa and Kebbi state governorship elections were not immediately ready as were many of those of in respect of Kebbi North and Zamfara Central senatorial districts as well as the supplementary House of Representatives and House of Assembly polls in Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Niger.

The rest are Taraba, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Oyo, Sokoto, Anambra, Rivers, Zamfara and Plateau.

However, the supplementary elections took a bloody dimension in the Ikono/Ini and Abak federal constituencies of Akwa Ibom State with the death of six people.

A suspected ballot box snatcher was also shot dead by soldiers at Bajida polling unit 001, Fakai Local Government Area of Kebbi State. He was said to have attempted to snatch a ballot box from INEC officials during the supplementary election. The Police in Adamawa State arrested six people said to have tried to hack into the BVAS deployed by INEC for the governorship election in the state.

The suspects were arrested in Bolki, a community in Numan Local Government.

Voter turnout was high in Sokoto and Zamfara States but poor in Ebonyi, Rivers and Edo.

Bomai, according to the  of the Returning Officer for Yobe South, Abatcha Melemi, polled 69,596 votes to defeat PDP’s Halilu Mazagane, who got  68,885 votes.

The commission also returned Diket Plang as winner of the Plateau Central Senatorial election with 131,129 votes ahead of Yohanna Gotom of the PDP, who got 127,022 votes, and Garba Pwul of the Labour Party (LP) who polled 36,510.

Buni congratulates Bomoi as PDP kicks

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni sent a congratulatory message to the APC and Bomai moments after the announcement of the result yesterday.

Buni described the victory as an additional value to the incoming APC national government.

He was optimistic that the Senator would “always lend his support to legislations on policies and programmes of the Federal Government.

“We are also optimistic the lawmaker would bring his experience to bear and continue to work towards improving the lives of his constituents,” Buni said.

He urged the people of Zone B to continue supporting the lawmaker for more dividends of democracy.

However, Bomai’s opponent in the election, Halilu Mazagane, rejected the result of the election.

He said INEC ought not to have declared Bomai winner since he (Mazagane) had already commenced the process of contesting the conduct of the election in court.

“I approached the tribunal and I was given leave to inspect all electoral materials,” he said.

He added: “The process has begun and I was clearly in the lead after recounting in Potiskum Local Government.

“For us to wake up today and INEC to declare Bomai as winner is most shocking to me and I cannot accept that result.”

Reps majority leader Doguwa wins Tudun Wada/Doguwa seat in Kano

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa was yesterday declared the winner of the Tudun Wada/Doguwa Constituency seat in Kano State.

Doguwa emerged victorious in the supplementary election that was held in the area.

Announcing the results, the returning officer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Sani Ibrahim, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate scored 41,573 votes to beat his closest opponent and candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Yishau Salisu, who scored 34,381 votes and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 211.

A breakdown of the voter register showed that 227,912 persons were registered for the election while 80,933 were accredited.

However, the total number of votes cast was 79,705, with 78,788 valid votes and 917 rejected.

Akande-Sadipe wins Oluyole for APC, Agboworin secures Ibadan South East/North East for PDP

Tolulope Akande-Sadipe of the APC won her reelection into the House of Representatives from Oluyole in Oyo State.

She was declared winner by the Returning Officer, Prof. Jacob Olaniyi, at the end of the supplementary election held in two polling units in the constituency.

According to him, Akande-Sadipe scored 14, 891 to defeat her closest rival, Mr Abdul-Mojeed Mogbonjubola of PDP, who scored 13,073.

Representative Abass Agboworin of the PDP is also returning to the House after winning a fresh mandate from voters in Ibadan South-East/North-East Federal Constituency of Oyo State.

Agboworin was declared elected after he polled 28,111 votes to win the supplementary election.

The INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Benjamin Olley of the University of Ibadan, announced Agboworin as the winner at the ancient Mapo Hall Collation Centre in Ibadan.

 Agboworin defeated Adedapo Lam-Adesina, son of the late former Governor, Lam-Adesina of the APC, who polled 27,338 votes.

Other results ready at press time were those of  New Nigerian Peoples Party’s  Mohammed Bello Shehu who won the Fagge Federal Constituency in Kano State; Ogun State House of Assembly Speaker Olakunle Oluomo who was returned from  Ifo 1 Constituency; and APC’s Abiodun Fawekun from Ido/Osi Constituency 1, Ekiti State.

Shehu defeated the serving member House of Representatives, Aminu Sulaiman Goro of the APC.

Goro has spent three terms in the Green chamber.

Announcing the results of the rerun yesterday, the Returning Officer, Ibrahim Suraj, said Shehu got 19, 024 votes, followed by the candidate of the Labour Party, Shuaibu Abubakar,  who polled 12,789 votes of the total votes cast. Goro came third with 8,669 votes.

In his own case, Oluomo, polled 7,546 votes to defeat Yusuf Ogundele of the PDP who got 6,596 votes.

INEC Commissioner in Ekiti State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, said Fawekun polled 4,764 votes to defeat the Social Democratic Party candidate, Muyiwa Fadahunsi, who had 4,204 votes and Ayodele Awoniyi of PDP who secured 422 votes.

The REC lauded all election stakeholders and people of Ekiti State “for the peaceful conduct of this election”.

Six feared killed in Akwa Ibom election violence

The deaths in Akwa Ibom resulted from gunshots allegedly fired by thugs who had stormed polling units in the state to hijack election materials and disrupt the process.

A National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, serving as an ad-hoc electoral staff, was shot and critically injured during the violence.

He was said to have resisted alleged intimidation by the thugs.

The Ikono/Ini election was between the incumbent House of Representatives member, Mr. Emmanuel Ukpong Udo of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) ticket and a former Commissioner, Glory Edet, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The YPPP candidate was leading his opponent from the PDP with a margin of 4,161 votes while APC’s Clement Jimbo was ahead of the incumbent lawmaker, Aniekan Umanah, with 2,962 votes in the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, at press time.

Eyewitnesses said the violence was sparked by PDP supporters who resorted to hijacking of ballot materials, and shooting of those who tried to put up any form of resistance.

Hijacking of ballot materials was reported in at least seven of the 17 polling units where the supplementary election took place in Ikono/Ini.

A politician in the area allegedly shot an INEC official at Itak unit 2 when the official resisted handing over ballot materials to PDP thugs, after voting.

Mr. Goddy Umoh, a former Commissioner and current Chairman, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly Service Commission (HASC), told reporters after voting at his Nnung Udoe Itak, Ward 11 that the election was peaceful until some thugs began seizing ballot materials and shooting .

He said: “The elections started peacefully, but a few minutes after voting, hijacking of polling materials started with heavy shooting. “

The NYSC member, who was shot in leg at Ikot Efre, Itak unit 2, and other victims were rushed to the hospital.

Udo called for the cancellation of the polls in the affected units.

He however urged his supporters to remain calm while waiting for the final announcement by INEC.

In Etim Ekpo LGA Ward 7 at Ibio Nnung Achat community and Etok Uruk Eshiet Ward 3, thugs allegedly hijacked ballot materials after the polls.

 The INEC official in charge of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr. Osaro Aisien, and the police said details of the cases were still being expected.

INEC cancels Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday announced the cancellation of the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency rerun election in Akwa Ibom on account of the violence that attended the exercise.

The state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Cyril Omorogbe, who addressed newsmen in his office in Uyo, said the election was cancelled in all the 17 polling units as a result of reported snatching of election materials, including Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation Machine System (BVAS) and others.

Omorogbe said: “I just want to give a brief update on what has happened today in the case of the rerun election.

“The fact is that we had about four Local Government Areas (LGAs) where we conducted election and one major one of them was the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency.

“We were there this morning early enough at about 8:30 a.m; polling units were opened. A couple of hours after we opened the polls, I received a call that BIVAS machines were hijacked.

“So, I knew from then that we were in for a tough time. Two hours after that, I received another report that was not good. So, the rerun election in Ikono/Ini federal constituency has been cancelled,” he said.

The REC added: “I received reports from the Collation Officers that were supposed to collate the result in the area that election did not hold.

“The whole exercise in those 17 polling units was marred by violence as materials were either hijacked, disrupted, or people were being chased, among other things of that nature.

“From the Collation Officers in the field who were supposed to collate, they all came back and had written reports, and the result sheets they were supposed to fill are all here. Apparently, there was no election for now.

“On the other constituency of Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, I am still expecting to hear from them, but I believe at this point things went well. Perhaps, in the next couple of hours, the result will be declared.”

The REC said the commission would take a decision on the matter after a meeting in Abuja.

Suspected ballot box snatcher shot dead in Kebbi

The suspect was said to have intruded into the Bajida polling unit, claiming to be a security agent

He then allegedly attempted to snatch a gun from a soldier at the polling unit.

He was quickly gunned down by the soldier.

Anxiety as Adamawa awaits Fintiri, Binani’s fate

Residents of Adamawa State were last night eagerly awaiting the final result of the supplementary governorship election between the incumbent, Adamu Fintiri of the PDP, and APC’s Aishatu Ahmed Binani.

The election took place in 69 units across 20 local government areas where votes were cancelled during the main polls last month.

Voter turnout in Jambutu ward unit 007, Ajiya ward unit 001 and 007 in Yola North LGA was massive yesterday.

It was equally high in Makama Ward A 002 and Kofsr Buba Jalo 001 in Yola South LGA, and other places.

The supplementary election took place in Demsa 1, Ganye 1, Girei 3, Gombi 1, Guyuk 2, Hong 5, Jada 1, Lamurde 3, Madagali 1, Maiha 1, Mayo Belwa 3, Michika 7, Mubi North 6, Mubi/South 2,  Numan 14, Shelleng 3, Song 4, Toungo 2, Yola North 3, Yola/South 6.

Police nab six for alleged attempt to hack into BVAS in Adamawa

The suspects were allegedly working to manipulate the results of the supplementary elections by tampering with the BVAS.

Numan LGA where they were caught had the highest number of polling units (14) among the 20 LGAs where the exercise took place yesterday.

Bolki in particular had 13 of the 14 polling units.

Witnesses said the suspects were spotted by some election observers who called the attention of the police.

They were subsequently whisked away in a police pickup van by some of the police operatives securing the repeat governorship election.

Locals who spoke on the incident described the suspects as people not known to anyone in the community.

The state Police Command could however not officially speak on the incident when contacted late Saturday evening.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, said he had not been officially briefed and was therefore not yet in a position to make an authoritative comment.

Voter turnout high in Sokoto, Zamfara

Voters turned out en masse for the supplementary elections in Zamfara State and neighbouring Sokoto State.

Women in particular came out in large numbers at the polling units while security agents enforced movement restrictions in Sokoto metropolis.

At Magajin Gari B ward, Garkar Alkali Yahaya 003 polling unit, election commenced as early as 8 a.m and voters formed queues in an orderly manner.

The situation was similar at Rumfar Kyahel polling unit 008, Kofar Atiku, ‘Yargoba and Kanwuri all in Sokoto North Local Government Area.

Some eligible voters, Aminu Rufa’i, Kabir Nasir and Maryam Bello, commended the process and expressed the hope of rounding off early, without experiencing what occured during the previous election.

Rivers supplementary election peaceful amidst low turnout of voters

The supplementary National Assembly election in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area commenced smoothly and peacefully despite low turnout of voters.

The electoral officers arrived early with the materials early at Rumuwoji Ward 12 Unit 6 Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2, but up till noon, very few persons had cast their votes.

Some residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they would not participate in the election because the results of the Feb. 25 and March 18 elections did not reflect their votes.

Mr. Godfrey Udom said that his vote would not make any difference from what the result was before the cancellation of the earlier one.

He said: “As you can see people are not interested in this election because they came out in large numbers during the general election, but what they expected was not what they saw when the results were declared.

Also in Units 8, 9 and 10 not many voters did came out to cast their votes as INEC officials waited patiently for them.

Mrs Faith Araon, however, said she came out to cast her vote because she had hope and believe that Nigeria would be great with good governance if people voted and their votes counted.

In Khana Local Government Area, Suanu Baridam, the Paramount ruler of Lumeme Bangha Community, attributed voter apathy in some polling units in the area to late arrival of electoral materials.

Baridam who voted in Khana Ward 7, Unit 16, decried the low turnout of voters in the supplementary election.

“A lot of people came out earlier but materials didn’t arrive on time. However, we look forward to seeing more persons before the end of the exercise,” he said.

The supplementary elections in Egor, Oredo East and Ovia Southwest State constituencies as well as Orhionmwon/Uhunmwonde federal constituency of Edo State were marred by low turnout of voters and intimidation.

Residents alleged that agents and supporters of the ruling PDP in the state harassed and intimidated voters from the APC and Labour Party to stop them from voting.

An APC member in Egor constituency, who simply identified himself as Uyi, said PDP leaders in the area, in their desperation to win at all costs, chased away supporters of other political parties in the area.

Also speaking, Eghosa Osayande of Ovia Southwest constituency said the supplementary election was not free and fair, with many voters disenfranchised by the desperate PDP members, making some members of opposition political parties to stay away, while accusing security agents of taking sides.

 Anambra govt alleges vote-buying

The Anambra State Government alleged vote-buying during the House of Representatives supplementary election in Ogbaru.

Works Commissioner Ifeanyi Okeoma said the level of vote-buying was denying voters the opportunity of making their rightful choice in the election.

“We are worried. For us (APGA), people should be able to vote their choices, without looking at any inducement,” he told reporters.

“We are hopeful that despite the high level of vote-buying, APGA will still win the election, because as you already know, Anambra is APGA land.”

 APC’s Marafa blasts PDP over vote-buying allegation

Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa of the APC yesterday berated the PDP in Zamfara State for claiming that the APC engaged in vote buying during the supplementary election in the state.

 “Though I am not surprised by PDP’s claim because the party since inception has been noted for complaining even when there is no reason for complaint,” he told reporters at his Yandoto country home, in Tsafe Local Government Area.

He accused the PDP of encouraging its supporters to destroy government property and those of APC members.

He said: “I cannot believe that the oldest political party in the country can bring itself so low to the extent of encouraging its supporters to vandalise party, government and individuals’ properties.

“APC won the presidential election in Zamfara State and nobody vandalised anybody’s property. I was the coordinator for Tinubu/Shettima Organisation in the state. I was ordinarily supposed to lead a mass rally to celebrate.

“We spent several months canvassing for votes, visiting localities to canvass support for our candidate.

“At last, we won the election and it was a spectacular event but we did not destroy even a poster or billboard belonging to the opposition party in the state.

“So, I don’t expect PDP to accuse APC of vote-buying or anything.

“When you are not expecting something and suddenly you got it, it becomes a problem to you. PDP has never formed any government in the state. Its victory at the governorship election becomes intoxicating.”

• Consumers, businesses groan over elusive notes •Advocate calls for higher value banknotes

By Nduka Chiejina, Assistant Editor and Collins Nweze, Assistant Business Editor

There seems to be no end in sight to the scarcity of the redesigned naira notes as officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) blame the general public for the problem.

The apex bank commenced the circulation of the new notes on December 15 last year, but four months after, two of which majority of Nigerians spent in severe suffering occasioned by the scarcity, the new notes are hardly seen by the people who are supposed to spend them.

An investigation conducted by The Nation during the week revealed that about 80 per cent of the naira notes being spent by Nigerians now are the old notes.

And that was even made possible by the Supreme Court which, in a landmark ruling on March 3, extended the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes till December 31, 2023.

A seven-member panel of the court led by John Okoro ruled that the old notes should circulate alongside the new notes until the end of the year.

It took the CBN about two weeks to act on the judgment.

Bank customers across the country said much of the money they have been receiving at banking halls and from ATMs are the old notes.

Traders and transporters also say customers hardly pay them with the new notes.

Bank officials told our correspondents that they disburse what they receive from the CBN.

They said the new notes hardly come their way.

A Lagos-based entrepreneur, Mary Okon, said all the cash receipts for goods sold came in old naira notes.

“All the cash I received for goods sold were in old notes. Sometimes, I wonder where the new notes are. This has affected our turnover, worsened cash crunch crisis and made payment for goods very cumbersome,” she said.

Another bank customer, Michael Otu, said the low cash position in many families has made it difficult for them to buy things that are needed like food, clothing and provision, among others. 

“We have seen many families cut their expenditure because of low cash positions. We hope that the situation will improve when the CBN releases more new notes into the economy,” he said.

In many of the bank’s branches visited in Victoria Island, Matori, and Ikeja axis of Lagos, there were still queues of customers wanting to make cash withdrawals with the N20,000 weekly limit.

The banks’ Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), which dispensed new notes at the time the new notes were launched, have returned to old notes disbursement across the counter or through other payment channels.

Officials of the CBN who do not wish to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the press on the issue alleged that many Nigerians are hoarding the new naira notes ahead of the December deadline for the phasing out of the old notes.

A source at the CBN said: “About N1 trillion is currently in circulation and more money is being printed and released.”

The source, who is involved in key monetary policy decisions of the apex bank, added: “People, not only politicians but ordinary Nigerians, are hoarding the new notes because of uncertainties.

“You know December will soon come. That is when all the old notes will cease to be legal tender. So people are stocking the new notes to mitigate uncertainties over the old or new naira notes.”

The CBN official advised the “authorities to engage in massive enlightenment and reassurances that the new notes will be available in and after December.”

According to the official, the CBN “releases N70 billion to the banks to distribute to their various branches every day, and they are largely old notes by way of strategy because of the phenomenon I spoke to you about earlier.

“When people see the new notes they just take them out of the system and don’t bring them back.

“That is the reason the CBN is dishing out the old notes so that they become available and citizens can make transactions very easily. That is the current position.

“So, it’s not that the CBN is not releasing money at all.”

When told that Nigerians want the new notes, the CBN official said: “Why are people looking for the new notes if they want to buy goods and services and money is available?

“They should leave that strategy to the CBN. That’s the bank’s problem, because by the end of the year, all the old notes being released now will also be removed from the system.

“For now that is not the problem of the citizens.

“Those complaining are looking for the new notes to hoard. That’s the implication.”

What is happening, the source said, “is that the new notes are not returned to the commercial banks.

“If they can be returning them to the commercial banks, the banks will also give them out to the citizens to use, but it appears that that is not happening,

“I don’t know what the fancy is in the new notes that they are hoarding them again.”

The official also disclosed that the CBN will print more new notes between now and December.

“Definitely it (CBN) will, because the old notes would have to exit the system.

“But for now, the strategy of the CBN is to meet the present exigencies, ameliorate any suffering, make money available, either old or new, so that people can have easy access.

“But the CBN has its own strategy to ease out the old notes before the end of December, so the implication is that there is the likelihood that more new notes will come into circulation.”

The official sought to allay fears that printing more new notes to maintain the N1trillion in circulation will lead to excess liquidity.

His words: “The CBN will map out appropriate strategies. New notes printed will replace old notes that will be eased out.

“There is no likelihood of too much currency in circulation, and secondly, the bank has its own idea of the optimal quantity of cash or notes, both old and new, that should be in the system. That is what the CBN is working towards.”

One of the reasons the initial attempt at currency redesign failed was the unavailability of smaller denominations of N100 and N200 notes for ordinary citizens to spend.

Admitting that that was a lapse in judgment on the part of the CBN, the official said: “I envisaged that one. Some of us have also made that point, because printing of the lower denomination notes will reduce the prospects of hoarding and counterfeiting of large denomination notes.

“That will help to meet the objectives of the CBN to minimise hoarding and counterfeiting of large notes.

“You know it is the large denomination notes that are very vulnerable to counterfeiting because of the huge profit they make from it.

“So the possibility is there that the CBN will print more of the lower denominations in line with its own objective.”

A member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Bismarck Rewane, said the CBN printed approximately N400 billion new naira notes following the currency redesign programme. 

In a report titled: Nigeria Hits A Brick Wall, Rewane said that a shortfall of N2.48 trillion cash exists, leading to near paralysis of commercial activities in the economy. 

He said the shortfall represents 90 per cent of the cash in circulation, meaning that only about 10 per cent of the cash needed was printed.

According to Rewane, an economist and Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, three of the eight naira denominations – N200, N500 and N1,000 estimated at N2.88 trillion – make up 90 per cent of the total cash in circulation.

Also speaking on the development, an economist and CEO, Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba explained what is playing out.

He said a breakdown of the N400 billion new notes printed by MINT Nigeria showed that about 700 million pieces of new notes are in circulation at present.

He said the volume of the new notes, falls drastically below the 9.75 billion pieces naira notes circulating before naira reforms.

He said: “The Naira notes have attracted global attention at the turn of 2023 for the wrong reasons.

“The currency redesign policy was a needless exercise that turned out to be a chaotic wild goose chase until the Supreme Court suspended it on legal grounds.

“The Supreme Court Ruling has however not completely taken the issue off the table as the N200, N500, and N1,000 currency notes may still cease to be legal tender by 31 December 2023.

“The policy choice Nigeria must make is whether to replace the old notes with new ones of the same face values or with new notes of larger face values.”

He suggested that instead of wasting resources to print and replace 9.75 billion pieces of naira notes, it can be drastically reduced by introducing larger denominations notes.

Teriba said it is very unlikely that the CBN will print over nine billion pieces of new notes to totally replace the old notes by December 31.

He suggested:  “The pieces of Naira notes in circulation had exploded to 9.75 billion pieces by December 2021.

“This piece demonstrates that the introduction of N2,000, N5,000, N10,000, and N20,000 notes that would be equivalent to US$4 to US$50 now is the sensible way to drastically reduce the pieces of Naira notes in circulation to between half a billion and a billion pieces before the end of 2023.”

He said that at less than US$1 per Naira note, Nigeria has inadvertently printed far too many pieces of these small value notes to be easily manageable by CBN.

The reason the CBN could never have printed enough of the N200, N500, and N1,000 new notes was that there were well over five billion pieces of them in circulation, and there was no way the CBN could have printed that much even if they had two years to do so.

Teriba said the nominal value of currency in circulation is the most basic measure of cash circulating in the economy, a key component of the overall money supply that lubricates economic transactions.

According to him, the total value of cash is only meaningful when related to the economic transactions that it is meant to lubricate. As such, you cannot conclude that it is too much or growing too fast by looking at its size or growth in isolation.

Teriba said Nigeria fell into that trap in the nineties as the total pieces of naira notes in circulation was to rise steadily from 1.5 billion pieces just after the N50 note was introduced in 1991 to 8.5 billion pieces by year 2000.

But an industry source said the new notes are scarce because of currency hoarding. According to the source, the new naira notes released by the CBN are being hoarded by high net-worth customers of banks, who had unlimited access to the cash.

The source said many high net-worth individuals who were able to source the new notes stockpiled them thereby depriving the public from having access to the cash.

President, Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN), Dr. Uju Ogubunka, said it was very worrisome that the new notes are not available to the ordinary people on the streets.

“You can occasionally see the new notes with politicians and top business executives who maintain huge account balances in banks.

“We have read stories of banks calling their top customers to come and take new notes. If third party intervention is needed for MINT Nigeria to print the notes, let them request for such support,” he suggested.

Ogubunka, a former Register/Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) said the Domestic Operations at the CBN owes Nigeria explanations on what is keeping the new notes out of reach of the people.

“I know that a lot of security measures are involved in new notes printing. But whatever it is, by now, the old notes should be passing out. But what we have is that the old notes have remained the dominant means of transaction.

“If care is not taken, we will have another round of crises by December 31 when the old notes will cease to be a legal tender,” he said.

At a press conference in Lagos, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele had admitted the hiccups in the implementation of the policy. 

Emefiele said the apex bank was addressing “pressure areas” by redeploying cash where there are excesses. The governor described the challenges as transient, promising that the issues would be overcome soon. He urged Nigerians to embrace alternative payment channels.

On the scarcity, he said: “CBN is aware of the difficulty being faced by Nigerians in accessing the new currency at this initial stage of its issue and circulation but wishes to plead with all to please show some understanding  as everything is being done to correct some of the observed lapses in the implementation of this ambitious programme.”

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be sworn in as President on May 29. The first challenge that will confront his administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is the election of presiding officers of the National Assembly. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the role of the president in picking past Senate Presidents and House of Representatives Speakers and the implications for cordial Legislative/Executive relations.

The 10th National Assembly of the Fourth Republic will be inaugurated on June 6 with the proclamation by the President. The first assignment of the two chambers – Senate and House of Representatives – is the election of the Senate President and the Speaker. The exercise will be moderated by the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The legislature is the first and most important organ of government with taproots across the country. Since it is representative in nature, it is the anchor of popular rule. As a critical institution of democracy, its functions include representation of diverse constituencies, legislation for order and good governance, approval of budget, confirmation of executive appointments, ratification of treaties, oversight, impeachment and redress of constituents’ grievances.

Will the Commander-in-Chief, fondly described as a strategist by his numerous admirers, be indifferent to the nature, tendency and idiosyncrasies of the next chairman and deputy chairman of the National Assembly? It is most unlikely.

Does showing interest by the president violate the principle of separation of powers under presidential system?

Although President-elect Bola Tinubu had hinted few weeks ago that he would not meddle in the intra-parliamentary elections, keen observers believe that as the National Leader of the ruling Progressives Congress (APC), he cannot be aloof.

As a key leader of the emerging APC National Caucus, Tinubu is definitely expected to exercise a moderating influence, particularly in the implementation of the party’s zoning principle and election of competent, credible and loyal presiding officers who will maintain fidelity to party vision and programmes, the National Assembly and the country.

As a democrat, Tinubu cannot force his will on the party and the Parliament. Democracy will create room and opportunity for freedom of choice, dialogue, deliberations, wider consultation, consensus building, mutual agreement and political bargaining. Therefore, the 1999 option of imposition, a carryover of dictatorial and tyrannical tendency of military regime, as exemplified by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is outdated in 2023.

Yet, the reenactment of attitude of indifference exhibited by outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, which later spelt doom for Executive/Legislative relations for four years, will also be counterproductive. While it is expected that the National Assembly should not be a rubber stamp, it is also crucial to avert an acrimonious relationship.

However, there is a middle point. Those eyeing the seats of Senate President and House Speaker should be made to embrace a zoning principle that is equitable, fair and just in a diverse country where people now harbour ethno-religious sentiments. Inclusion will erase a feeling of alienation and marginalisation.

Besides, a seamless election of presiding officers will be possible if APC can put its house in order and restore an atmosphere of party supremacy and discipline that should permeate the platform. Also, during an anxious and delicate period like this, when sensitive decisions that will have far-reaching implications are taken, APC leadership and its National Assembly caucus should approach the contest in utter sensitivity to the antics of opposition legislators scheming to reap from avoidable implosion.

First Republic:

Under the Parliamentary system, the choice of presiding officers of the National Parliament in the First Republic was, first of all, concluded at the party level. The Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), the senior partner in the National Coalition Government headed by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, produced the Speaker of House of Representatives, Jalo Waziri, after the brief tenure of Jaja Wachukwu, a chieftain of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC).

Wachukwu was Speaker between 1959 and 1960, the tail-end of the cooperative interim arrangement that started from 1957, which Balewa described as a period of emergency when political parties were required to give concessions and put aside their differences for national unity.

In 1960, NPC also conceded the President of the Ceremonial Senate to its ally, the NCNC, which nominated Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe (who had shunned Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group’s (AG’s) offer of coalition), and later, Chief Denis Osadebay, and much later, Dr. Nwafor Orizu.

When Zik became the Senate President, and later Governor-General and Ceremonial President, he was presumed to be on the way to political retirement. But, it never happened.

 Second Republic:

Zoning was also upheld between 1979 and 1983 when the American presidential system was introduced. Seasoned democrats built on the experience of the First Republic. Party caucus was strong, and it played a major role.

Then, the choice of presiding officers reflected the character of the ill-fated accord between the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP).

While NPN picked Dr. Joseph Wayas from Cross River State as Senate President, NPP picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke as House Speaker from the old Anambra State.

At that time, the vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Senate President, House Speaker and NPN national chairman, Chief Adisa Akinloye, were from Southern Nigeria. They were also Christians.

In 1983, Wayas retained his seat. But, the NPN/NPP accord, having broken down, and relations had degenerated into mutual distrust, NPN installed its chieftain, Chacha Biam, as Speaker in 1983.

However, as President Shehu Shagari later reflected, despite the NPN majority in Parliament, there were many moments of Executive/Legislative tension in the Second Republic.

Third Republic:

 It was the era of the new breed, polarised into the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC), two parties imposed on the polity by military President Ibrahim Babangida. The “diarchic” experiment later collapsed.

The military showed keen interest in the election of National Assembly officers, although the rich, affluent, but inexperienced members of the political class tried to assert personality.

After Senator Bola Tinubu stepped down from the race for Senate, the Upper Chamber picked Dr. Iyorchia Ayu from Benue as Senate President. Chief Agunwa Anekwe from the East became the Speaker. Both belonged to the then ruling SDP.

Zoning was at play, as it was explained that since SDP may likely pick a stalwart from the Southwest as presidential candidate, the zone could not also bid for Senate President.

Blown away by the squabbles and tensions of that period, which were largely fuelled by the military, Ayu was succeeded by Ameh Ebute, a fellow Northerner.

Obasanjo’s tenure:

Nigeria woke up on May 29, 1999 to the reality of a soldier-politician at the helm of national affairs; an Army General whose experience was the fusion of both legislative and executive powers, if not even judicial powers, as demonstrated by his three year tenure as military Head of State between 1976 and 1979.

He was never involved in post-June 12 democratisation process that culminated in his ascension to power as civilian president beyond his support for the interim contraption.

Adjustment to democratic political life became difficult for President Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP National Leader, who apparently held certain institutions of democracy, including the two chambers of National Assembly, in suspicion.

Obasanjo never pretended to have come to lay any foundation on which democracy would thrive. He accorded priority to self-preservation; always combative and tricky, and he brooked no opposition. Barely few months after assuming the reins, he cleverly shoved the party chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, aside.

The President’s autocratic style widened the division in the then ruling part and resulted in leadership instability in the National Assembly, which produced five Senate Presidents in eight years.

The Fourth Republic National Assembly was inaugurated on June 3, 1999. There are two versions of the account of events that played out 24 years ago in the Senate.

The three parties – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Peoples Party (APP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD) – produced senators and representatives. But the PDP had more legislators.

The PDP of old believed in zoning. It was its cornerstone. Six positions were identified and distributed to six geo-political zones – President (Southwest), Vice President (Northeast), Senate President (Southeast), House Speaker (Northwest), Secretary to Government of the Federation (Southsouth) and ruling party’s National Chairman (Northcentral).

There were two aspirants for Senate President from Southeast – the late Senator Evan(s) Enwerem (Third Republic governor of Imo State), and the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, a former university teacher who was erstwhile Special Political Adviser to President Shagari in the Second Republic. He, it was, who described the complaints by Zik, Leader of Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) in the Second Republic, as the ranting of an ant.

The first account was that many PDP senators were rooting for the charismatic Okadigbo, who was obviously more popular than Enwerem. If there was no presidential interference on the eve of the poll, the Oyi of Oyi would have been victorious.

But a silent war broke out between Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. This is the second account.

It was doubtful if the two leaders discussed the matter, as expected, with each other. While the president preferred Enwerem, the vice president opted for Okadigbo. It led to the first personality clash between the Number One and Number Two citizens. The cracks widened afterwards. They were never mended until they eventually parted ways.

To the President’s camp, the emergence of Okadigbo, a radical intellectual, could brighten any chance of impeachment plot against the Commander-in-Chief. In fact, Obasanjo, who later reflected on the matter in his book, My Watch, alleged that senators were financially induced to support Okadigbo, whose supporters also alleged that senators were wooed with money.

At the close of the in-house poll, Enwerem, backed by Obasanjo, carried the day with 66 votes; Okadigbo scored 43.

A seed of discord had been sowed in the Senate. The Okadigbo forces later impeached Enwerem who ran into a crisis over his credentials. That was in November 1999. Much later, Okadigbo was also booted out in August 2000 to pave the way for Senator Pius Ayim, who later failed to secure a return ticket.

In 2003, the election of Senate President and Speaker was seamless because Obasanjo, assisted by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and key party leaders, led by the late Chief Tony Anenih, was in total control.

 In 2007, the PDP and Obasanjo also called the shots. Although the PDP Governors’ Forum supported Senator George Akume for Senate President, the party disagreed.

 The usual tensed contest was absent. It was not difficult to install Brig.-Gen. David Mark, who spent eight years, spanning the two years of President Umaru Yar’Adua, brief moment of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan when the doctrine of necessity was invoked, and the six years of President Jonathan. It was the most memorable period of leadership stability in the Senate.

However, that leadership stability eluded the Lower Chamber. Barely a year in office, Speaker Salisu Buhari got into trouble due to certificate scandal. He was impeached. Relations between his successor, Ghali Na’aba, and Obasanjo were frosty with both threatening each other with impeachment. That suspicion fizzled out when Bello Masari became Speaker in 2003.

In 2007, Obasanjo ensured that Patricia Ette became Speaker. But her tenure was short-lived. She bowed out over an offence, which as it was later found out, she never committed. She was succeeded by Dimeji Bankole.

 Thus, Obassnjo’s influence ended.

 Buhari’s tenure:

Unlike Obasanjo, President Muhammadu Buhari was aloof. In his inauguration address on May 29, 2015, the president said he belonged to nobody yet he belonged to everybody.

The concealment of choice paled into a poor strategy. While the president was not expected to single-handedly impose a candidate, he should have tactically mobilised the party to produce the presiding officers who were not transactional partners or allies, thereby reaping the fruits of cordial relations.

APC was still a mere amalgam of like-minds, defunct parties – Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and n-PDP – when it was faced with the challenge of selecting the Senate President and the Speaker.

As the president and party leader abdicated his moderating roles, the two camps in the ruling party were locked in a bitter struggle.

For a moment, the National Assembly was under lock and key. In another moment, lawmakers started scaling the fence.

A camp supported Dr. Ahmad Lawan for Senate President and Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker. Another camp sponsored Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara. Those who supported Lawan were still waiting for presidential direction when news got to them where they had converged that the rival camp had carried out a plot.

The second camp, in desperation, beckoned to its foes in the Parliament. It sought an alliance with the opposition by conceding the position of Deputy Senate President to the PDP. That was how Saraki of APC became Senate President and Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP became his deputy.

In the House of Representatives, the same strategy, more or less, was adopted. Dogara secured substantial votes from APC and PDP caucuses, and got a pliant APC legislator as his deputy.

President Buhari and APC paid dearly for the Executive miscalculation. For four years, particularly in the Senate, the Executive and Legislature worked at cross purpose.

But, the plot also took its toll on the second camp. Although Saraki achieved his ambition, his tenure was full of tension. His attention was diverted by allegations of fraud and litigations.

Four years later, the ruling party woke up from its slumber. Guided by the lessons of the past, it embraced and cherished the timeless counsel of its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that party supremacy and discipline should play a central role in democratic choice of National Assembly’s presiding officers.

To correct the mistake of 2015, APC took a firm stand. The party insisted on the candidature of Lawan and Gbajabiamila, and they won. President Buhari took the back seat and allowed the party under the leadership of National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole to take control. Oshiomhole and other party leaders delivered, thereby meeting the expectation of the party, the National Assembly and the country.

The new dawn:

All eyes are on the President-elect, the ruling party, its governors, governors-elect and federal legislators. Unresolved acrimony resulting from the outcome of the presiding officers’ election may escalate, robbing off on Executive/Legislative relations. The challenge calls for the deployment of tact, experience, wisdom, skill and circumspection. It may be relatively easier if the party caucus is perceived as the moral voice and conscience of the ruling platform.

Currently in the Senate, APC has 57 members; PDP, 29; Labour Party (LP), six; New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), two, Social Democratic Party (SDP), two, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), one; and Young Progressive Party (YPP), one. There are still 11 seats to be filled in the outstanding elections.

The electoral commission is expected to conduct elections in 30 constituencies for House of Representatives. The House has 360 seats. APC’s Representatives-elect, for now, are 162; PDP has 102; LP has 34, NNPP has 18, APGA has four, SDP and ADC has two each, and YPP has one.

No fewer than nine APC senators are interested in the Senate President. They are: Senate President Lawan (Yobe Northwest), Barau Jibrin (Kano North), Orji Kalu (Abia North), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South), Sani Musa (Niger East), Ali Ndume (Borno South), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom South), Osita Izunaso (Imo West) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West).

Nearly all of them are bubbling with a sense of entitlement. Consultations, mobilisation and media sensitisation have been intensified. In fact, aspirants have been traversing the nooks and crannies of the country scrambling for real or imagined endorsement. Indisputably, the 10th National Assembly is already divided ahead of inauguration.

Many of the aspiring senators are linking up and contacting themselves, notwithstanding the fact that they are fighting for the same position. So far, there is no campaign of calumny associated with the contest.

The Senate Rule allows only a ranking senator to be selected as Senate President. According to the Standing Orders, “nomination of senators to serve as Presiding Officers and appointments of Principal Officers and other Officers of the Senate or on any parliamentary delegations shall be in accordance with the ranking of senators.

“In determining ranking, the following order shall apply – senators returning based on number of times re-elected; senators who had been members of the House of Representatives.”

Also, while the Senate President and his deputy must be elected at the hallowed Chamber on the day of inauguration, other positions, which can be filled that day or later are: the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Whip. The Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip, and Deputy Minority Whip shall be the prerogative of the political parties.

Many of the senators are neither baby politicians nor pushovers. They include 30 returning senators, former governors, ex-deputy governors, erstwhile House of Representatives members, former top functionaries at state levels and influential party chieftains.

The first problem-solving step is the adoption of an acceptable zoning convention, which is a party affair. But the formula should be seen to be credible. A mistake may spur the opposition to hijack the process, in concert with likely aggrieved APC senators, reminiscent of 2015. So, such a chaotic scenario is avoidable.

Already, there is the pervading feeling that the Southwest and the Northeast, which have produced President-elect and Vice President-elect, should not vie for the two topmost parliamentary positions.

The ruling party should list some criteria, such as competence, integrity and credibility, as well as ensure that the message is internalised by operators at various zones whose interventions are critical to unofficial screening and the eventual choice of candidates.

If the positions are zoned to the appropriate regions fairly, the move will prune the number of aspirants. The attention of some aspirants may shift to the pursuit of other principal offices.

Senators who are party leaders in their own right should be motivated to give concessions, build consensus, strive for accord within their caucuses and collectively work for concord in the interest of their party; same for the honourable members of the House of Representatives.

Hopefully, the 10th National Assembly will produce a legislature that will put national interest first in its working relationship with the Executive, in particular, whilst also performing its constitutional role as an effective arm of government without compromising the need for checks and balances.