Governor of Lagos state Babajide Sanwo-Olu, National leader of the All Progressives Party Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other dignitaries on Sunday honoured the new speaker of the ninth Assembly Femi Gbajabiamila at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met yesterday to pick its candidates for the minority positions in the Ninth Senate.
It nominated the senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, as Minority Leader.
The NWC meeting was held in the Maitama, Abuja home of PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
Others tipped for positions are: Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South) as Deputy Minority Leader; Senator Philip Aduda (FCT) as Minority Whip and Senator Clifford Ordia (Edo Central) as Deputy Minority Whip.
It was learnt that the NWC will continue the meeting today to meet with PDP members in the House of Representatives to fill the minority offices.
But the PDP may have to concede some of the offices in the Green Chamber to other parties that won seats into the House of Representatives, unlike the Senate that is made of only three parties – All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP and Youth Progressives Party (YPP).
What looks like a major crack in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators’ fold emerged on Friday with the public declaration of support for Senator Ahmad Lawan’s Senate Presidency aspiration by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.
Senator Nwaoboshi, a former Chairman of PDP in Delta State, represents Delta North Senatorial District in the upper chamber.
He threw his support for Lawan to emerge President of the Ninth Senate at a crowded press briefing in Abuja.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, who is a known backer of Lawan’s aspiration, was at hand to receive Nwaoboshi.
The obviously elated Enang “thanked” Nwaoboshi profusely for his “support” for Lawan Senate Presidential project.
Only last month, a PDP Senator elect, Abba Moro, who represents Senator David Mark’s Benue South Senatorial District, also came out to declare support for Lawan’s Senate Presidency aspiration.
To show his support was for real, Moro did not only declare his support for Lawan, he is also a member of Lawan’s campaign organisation.
Moro said that he was there because he believed in the capacity of Lawan to lead the Ninth Senate.
Nwaoboshi is a known ally and staunch supporter of Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Saraki has not openly declared support for any of the front line contenders for the Senate President of the Ninth Senate.
The implication of Nwaoboshi’s open declaration of support for Lawan is that PDP Senators may not go for block vote during the election of the presiding officers of the Ninth Senate as being taunted in some quarters.
It may also mean that PDP Senators are in disarray especially as more in their fold are said to be warming up to declare support for Lawan ahead of the inauguration of the Ninth Senate this month.
Nwaoboshi noted the leadership of PDP will not direct its elected senators to vote for any particular candidate for the position of the Ninth Senate President.
The Delta North Senator whose victory was revalidated by an Appeal Court judgement on Thursday, said the best the PDP leadership would do was to give the elected members of the incoming Ninth Senate, the direction to follow.
He insisted that the party would not necessarily impose a candidate on its elected members of the National Assembly.
Nwaoboshi said” “The PDP has not taken a decision as a political party as far as the presiding officers of the Ninth Senate is concerned. Our party has not also told us the candidate we should vote for.
“I know the PDP leaders will not say this is the candidate they want. They would only give us a guideline.
“I also have a right as the representative of my people to determine what is good for the Anioma people.
“I am a loyal PDP man. I have not left the PDP and it is not part of my agenda to do.
“However, regarding the leadership of the Ninth Senate, I know my people would be happy with my choice of Lawan.
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One of the front line contenders for the position of Senate Presidency in the Ninth Assembly, Senator Ahmad Lawan, will soon unfold his detailed Legislative Agenda.
Spokesperson for Lawan’s campaign for Senate Presidency, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this on Wednesday.
The Legislative Agenda, Abdullahi said, will contain the direction of the Ninth Senate if Lawan emerges as Senate President.
Abdullahi who spoke at the break of fast Lawan held with some senators and senators-elect in Abuja, added that the draft legislative agenda will be sent to individual senators-elect for their input before the document is unveiled to Nigerians.
In his remarks at the occasion, Lawan who is also the Senate Majority Leader, noted that he lost in the contest in 2015 because it was God’s will that his aspiration then would not materialise.
He commended his colleagues for their sacrifice and dedication in identifying with his cause, assuring that everybody would be carried along.
He said, “I am overwhelmed by the presence of everybody here. We went through this process before in 2015. And those of us who were there then knew the kind of sacrifice, commitments, dedication that everybody gave. But it was the will of God that it will not be and it was never. But we thank God for His blessings. We are still around and are believing completely in His decision not to give us at that time.
“Our colleagues here, everybody has shown commitment. We are seeking the face of God, His blessings, His mercies in this enterprise once again. We are human beings. We can only see the physical. From the physical, we can see there is a lot of successes in what we are doing. The other thing that we don’t know is what God has kept to Himself. So, we will continue to pray for God’s intervention in this matter. And let me say that this is something that I personally feel that I have obligation to each and everyone here. And in fact, even those who are not with us at this time of effort to get to that office but of course, this is our campaign.
“In an enterprise like this, someone will start something but nobody here is a joiner. Everybody is part and parcel of the campaign team. What we referred to as campaign team was the initial take-off. But everyone should continue to give his commitment and whether we call meetings or have some interactions elsewhere, it is important that everybody play their part. And that is the campaign team. It doesn’t mean that one, two, three people who are in the campaign team and every other person is not. It is completely for all of us. And I pray that God Almighty in this very Holy Month will continue to guide us, bless us and put us on the cause that will make us realise this mission and show us the path when challenges confront us. I believe that together we can achieve a lot, not only for the National Assembly but for this country.”
Over 30 senators-elect were at the meeting including, Senator-elect, Abba Moro, a former Minister and a member of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday met behind closed doors with the former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume.
Ndume has been aspiring to be President of the 9th Senate due for inauguration in June.
He had declared his intention to run for the number three highest political office despite endorsement of the current Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan for the position by the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).
Ndume, declined to speak on camera with State House correspondents on Monday at the end of about one- hour meeting with Osinbajo.
But he indicated that he was not ready to step down from the race.
When asked by reporters whether he would step down, he asked rhetorically: “Me?”
He declined to speak further on the Senate Presidency race as he maintained that he was still holding consultation.
“This is not the time to talk now because I am still holding consultation,” he stated.
Details shortly…
A coalition of pro- democracy groups under the auspices of National Coalition in Defence of Democracy has asked the leadership of the All Progressives Congress and the Presidency to avoid the mistake of the past and refrain from imposing leaders on the National Assembly, especially the Senate.
The group warned that attempts by previous governments to impose leaders on the National Assembly have always ended badly with the eventual impeachment of those imposed by the Presidency, giving examples of such impositions by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
National Coordinator of the coalition, Ambassador Auwal Alhassan Gama told a news conference on Monday in Abuja that rather than micro zone the position of the President of the Senate to an individual, they were of the view that the senators whom they described as men of integrity should be allowed to pick their own leaders.
They expressed the belief that if allowed to select their leaders, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume would emerge as the Senate President considering his wealth of experience as a legislator and would ensure a cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature.
Reminded that the leadership of the party has already taken a stand and may not turn back on it, Gama said “it is not constitutional to micro zone the positions to individuals. Having zoned it to the zones, it is our belief that the zone should be allowed to decide on who they want as doing so would amount to disenfranchising others.
“We don’t support picking an individual by the party. It is our belief that the 109 senators who are men of integrity should be allowed to make their choice of who should lead them. But if our suggestions are not carried, it would go down in history that we spoke out.
Asked why they were particular about the position of the Senate President and silent on that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives which has not been given to any zone, Gama said they decided to speak out on the position of Senate President since the party has already made its decision on it known.
He said: “the forum observed among other things that one of the reasons why the present government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR did not meet up the expectations of many Nigerians in the areas of Infrastructure and Human development was a result of the sour relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of Government. This has created setbacks in the areas of non-full implementation of the budget and alteration on key intended project by the government.
“The National Coalition In Defence of Democracy in its wisdom felt the need to call on the newly elected members of the upper chambers of the National Assembly irrespective of the political party to consider Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, a three term senator from Borno South Senatorial district of Borno State, a Patriot, a detribaised Nigerian and an experienced member of the National Assembly who has contributed to the growth of our democracy for the position of President of the Senate.
“The decision to call for Support for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s emergence as the next Senate president is born out of our desire for a healthy working relationship between the Executives and the Legislature for a better delivery of democratic dividends. It is our believe that he will bring his matured sense of reasoning, experience and fear of God into play as the Chairman of the National Assembly, he is one politician we know and trust Will unite all interest in the National Assembly.
“While we salute the courage and goodwill of the presidency in allowing the independent of all arms of government to run its activities independently, it is equally important for all stakeholders including the APC National Working Committee to provide a level playing ground for all its members at the North Eastern part of the country who deemed it fit to contest.
“We wish to call on all members of the National Assembly Elect, especially those of the upper chambers to support the call for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s Senate Presidency. We were part of the process that brought you on-board and it is our humble plea and believes that Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume will not disappoint us.”
The support for the candidacy of the House of Representatives Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly got a boost over the weekend when All Progressives Congress (APC) members-elect from Oyo State pledged their loyalty, with a promise to abide by the Party’s decision on the choice of the leadership position.
This followed the intervention of the Governor of Oyo State, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, who hosted the nine APC members-elect in his Ibadan residence on Sunday, where he advised them to toe party line by following the decision reached by the leadership of the Party in determining the leadership of the 9th Assembly and to support Gbajabiamila’s aspiration as the next Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.
In a statement on Monday by Akeem Adeyemi, the APC Southwest Coordinator of Gbajabiamila Speakership Campaign Council, the members-elect assured the governor of their loyalty and determination to ensure that the House Leader succeed as the Speaker of the next Assembly.
The statement reads in part: “The nine members-elect appreciated the Governor for providing a sound leadership and positive direction for the party, and; however, promised the Governor their full cooperation, after each member had spoken in acceptance of the Governor’s endorsement of the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.”
Senator Kabiru Gaya has joined the race for Deputy Senate President ahead of the inauguration of the Ninth Senate in June.
Gaya, who won his re-election for the 9th Senate, announced the bid while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.
While assuring his colleagues of inclusiveness, the lawmaker said he possessed the required qualification to contest for the position and to emerge winner.
According to him, he is a ranking senator, having been in the senate since 2007.
He also said as an Architect who designed prominent buildings around the country and having been a governor of Kano State, he was qualified to occupy the position.
“I respect all the senators-elect. I am eligible and the most ranking senator from the North-West contesting for the position.
“I am qualified based on ranking because in the Senate we respect ranking. I am eligible and the most ranking senator for the North-West.
“As an architect and as a consultant, my office then, designed the ship house and courts in Abuja and so many other projects like the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) branches across the country.
“I started politics in 1982. I was a member of the leadership from 2007. I was the Deputy Minority Whip and Chairman of many committees and currently the Chairman, Committee on Works.
“And as chairman committee on works, I have gone round 33 states of the federation on oversight. So, I am fully qualified for the position.
” I am also currently the Vice Chairman, Inter Parliamentary Union(IPU), Africa and this is a plus to my CV,” he said.
On concerns that his intention negates zoning arrangement, Gaya said: ” My emergence as deputy senate president is a matter of balancing.”
“We have the Vice President from the South and we are giving the South West the Speaker. So, there is nothing wrong with having President Muhammadu Buhari and deputy senate president from the same zone,” he said.
He said he was consulting within and outside his zone to get the support of all those concerned, particularly the lawmakers.
“I do not believe we should go for election divided. I believe the party will sort that out before the election. We should respect ranking and the ability to perform and I believe I can perform.
“If we are divided, it will be catastrophic. So, I am appealing to my colleagues who are interested to step down for me, so we will be able to work in the interest of the senate and Nigeria.
” I solicit for prayers from all religious leaders for my emergence, as I promise to work for better life for Nigerians.
“I respect all the senators, particularly the ones from the North-West. I congratulate them for emerging winners in the election.
“They are people who are ranking in their own rights as former governors and professionals in different fields.
The race for the President of the ninth Senate took another turn Thursday as groups stormed the National Assembly to drum support for the emergence of Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje for exalted position.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has already endorsed Senator Ahmad Lawan as candidate of the party for the position of Senate President for the ninth session.
Senators Lawan (Yobe North) and Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) have publicly declared their interest for the position.
Goje is yet to make any public declaration to contest the position of Senate President.
But a group, Amalgamated Youths from North East staged a rally at National Assembly gate asked Goje to declare his intention to go for the position without further delay.
Led by one Bello Ambo from Bauchi State, the group said neither the endorsement of Lawan by the National leadership of APC nor expression of interest by Senator Ndume, should prevent Goje from throwing his hat into the ring for the position of Senate President.
Ambo noted that as far as public service experience was concerned, “Goje stands far above the others having controlled a state for eight years between 2003 and 2011 and have been in the Senate with required parliamentary experience.
He said, “Position of Senate President requires administrative and parliamentary knowledge enormously possessed by Goje as against the two other contenders from the zone.”
Reminded that the APC has taken a decision on who should occupy the position with the endorsement of Lawan, Ambo insisted that “Senators-elect were matured people who can decide who their leader should be and should be allowed to do so.”
He said, “Our party (APC) is a party of the people and not few leaders, the party should allow the people in this case, Senators -elect, to decide whoever they want as their leader in whatever capacity.
“For us the Goje Support Groups from the North East for the presidency of the 9th Senate (GSGNE), Senator Danjuma Goje is the right man for the job. He has the required experience as a tested administrator and high ranking lawmaker.
“He is a man of the people and a senator with all it takes in carrying others along across party lines and most importantly, a party man to the core that will fit perfectly into the next level agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Another leader of the group, Abdul Saleh said though Lawan is from his State, and the position of the President of the 9th Senate is zoned to the North East, Goje should be allowed to contest for the position.
Saleh claimed that nobody sponsored them as they were yet to meet Senator Goje personally.
He said, “We are politically conscious youths from the North East resident in different areas of the federal capital territory and in particular, card carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We are calling on Senator Goje to contest for the President of the 9th Senate, being the most qualified person from the zone as far as we are concerned.
“The party might have spoken in support of Senator Ahmad Lawan but Senators-elect are to decide when the time comes. Goje should come out and contest, the same way Senator Ali Ndume is doing.
“The more they are in the race, the better the offers before Senators-elect to pick from.”
Members of the groups who spent some hours at the main entrance of the National Assembly to drum support for Goje carried banners with various inscriptions and Goje’s portraits to amplify their message to passersby and motorists.
The support group for Goje to join the Senate Presidency race is coming 48 hours after Senator Ali Ndume declared his nine point legislative agenda if elected President of the 9th Senate in June in defiance to declared adoption of Senator Lawan last week by the national leadership of APC.
The national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Tuesday said that its federal lawmakers elected into the Ninth National Assembly can contest for leadership positions in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
A statement by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said despite their minority status, opposition lawmakers are constitutionally eligible to seek election into any of the presiding positions in the bicameral legislature.
Specifically, the main opposition party stated that the positions of President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker are not the exclusive preserves of any political party, but a constitutional right of every elected lawmaker in both chambers.
Presently, the PDP has about 42 senators elect in the upper chamber while the All Progressives Congress (APC) has 65 so far. The Young Progressive Party (YPP) has one. In the lower chamber, APC has about 222, against PDP’s 110 with about 10 seats shared among a number of fringe parties.
The PDP said, “It is therefore laughable and amounts to empty grandstanding and self-delusion for President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to posture as if the presiding offices and committee chairmanship in the National Assembly are exclusive rights of the APC.
“President Buhari and Oshiomhole should wake up to the fact that the National Assembly belongs to no political party but to all Nigerians, who exercise their control through their elected representatives.
“For emphasis, Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is clear in providing that ‘There shall be:- (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and (b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves’
“Section 92 (1) makes the same provision for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of State House of Assembly.
“The PDP, therefore, does not only have a constitutional say in the process of the emergence of the leadership of the 9th National Assembly, but will, as a matter of constitutional right, field candidates into presiding offices of both chambers, if need be.
“The PDP wishes to remind President Buhari and Oshiomhole that the APC had in the past benefited from the provisions of section 50, with the defection of then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal from the PDP to the APC, in October 2014, without relinquishing the speakership of the House to the PDP; a development that was applauded by President Buhari, as then opposition leader as well as the APC, through its then National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed.
“In fact, the former Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, echoed the Constitutional provision that when he said the constitution requires only that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be elected by members of that House from among themselves”.
“Moreover, in June 2015, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange and Hon. Peter Azi, both of APC, were elected Speakers of Benue and Plateau State Houses of Assembly respectively, though their party, the APC, was minority in both Houses”.
The PDP insisted that the only party offices in the legislature are the Majority and Minority Leaders and Deputy Leaders as well as Majority and Minority Whips and Deputy Whips.
The party cautioned President Buhari, Oshiomhole and the APC to respect the independence of the legislature, end their imposition plot and to stop sowing seeds of discord among the lawmakers, saying such is directly against the overall national interest.