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  • Senate Presidency: Adeyeye urges APC to discuss with Ndume, Goje, others

    A senator-elect, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to open discussions with Senators Ali Ndume and Danjuma Goje, with the view to assuaging their feelings.

    Ndume and Goje have signified their intention to vie for the position of Senate President in the Ninth Senate, against Senator Ahmed Lawan who has been chosen for the position by the APC.

    Adeyeye, who has been elected to represent Ekiti South senatorial district on the platform of the APC, said the interest of the party should supersede the interest of individual members.

    Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Adeyeye, however, urged the leadership of APC to strike a balance between the interest of the party and the feelings of those who might not be favoured in the selection of process.

    Adeyeye said, “It is a matter of give and take. I think the leadership of the party should do well to assuage the feelings of those who might not have been favoured in the selection process by inviting them and let them see reasons.

    “The interest of the party is more important than individual interests. When we fight for and protect the collective interests, individual privileges and interests can still be met”.

    Senator Ndume (Borno South) and Goje (Gombe Central) who hailed from the Northeast geopolitical zone as Lawan, have indicated interest in the race for Senate President, against the party’s choice of Lawan.

    Adeyeye acknowledged the right of Ndume and Goje to aspire to be Senate President since they are members of the APC and more so when the position had been zoned to their geopolitical zone, adding that, “However, I think we can always find compromise”

    Read also: Niger senators back Lawan’s race for Senate President seat

    He cautioned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against fielding candidates for the President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate, saying doing so would negate the ethics and norms of parliamentary practice and procedure.

    The first time senator, who was the spokesman for the PDP until December 2018, cited the example of the United States where the Republican Party, with only a slim majority over the Democrats, still controls the American parliament.

    He said, “In America as we speak today, the Republicans are in the majority with three or four senators over the Democrats in the Senate and yet nobody in the minority party ever contemplated nominating any of their members to become the leader of majority.

    “Because that will be against the ethics and the norms of parliamentary practice and procedure. After 20 years of democracy, we should start experimentation. By now we should start a proper culture, ethics and norms of the advanced democracy

    “We should be able to do what the public expect should be the outcome of an election. Nigerians have given the APC majority of the seats in the Senate; they, therefore, expect the APC to control the Senate

    “Nobody should, therefore, try to subvert the will of the people by trying to play any game or causing any division even among the majority party such that the will of the people, freely expressed at the polls, could be subverted.

    “I do not expect any member of the PDP to come out and contest for leadership positions meant for the party with the majority seats on the day of inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly.

    “All contestants on that day should be APC members. Since Nigerians deliberately voted for the APC to constitute the majority in the nation’s parliament with about 64 senators, the contest for the leadership positions should be within the APC.

    “The PDP should not interfere in it. The opposition party should not produce any candidate and its members should not contest on that day.

    “That is the practice in the advanced democracies. No minority party plays any game to take over the majority when it did not win the highest number of seats during the general elections.

    “Even if the APC is presenting the three senators to contest for Senate President, I do not expect that the PDP will try to take advantage of the situation by sponsoring one of its members to contest the position.

    “We don’t want such attitude in the Senate anymore. I think by now, we should have rules and develop proper democratic norms and values that would prevent us from doing what is not expected of us as a party and as members of a party”.

    The senator-elect cautioned APC members contesting for the position of Senate President against picking a member of the opposition PDP as candidate for Deputy Senate President just to leverage on bloc votes expected from PDP senators.

    “I do not expect a person contesting the seat of Senate President to make a member of the opposition party, his deputy in order to win the election. That would be a total betrayal. I expect that the party with the majority seats should produce the presiding officers and the principal officers meant for the ruling party.

    “That has been the situation in Nigeria up till 2015 when we had the present aberration. It is high time we put a stop to such an unholy collaboration where we would have a Senate President from the ruling party having a deputy from the minority party.

    “What is currently happening in the Eight Senate, temporarily halted the democratic tradition we were developing but we are trying to resuscitate it”, Adeyeye said.

  • Senate Presidency: Kano senators endorse Lawan

    The ambition of Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, to become the Senate President in the 9th Senate has received a boost with three senators from Kano State endorsing his candidacy.

    The three senators, namely Barau Jubrin, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and senator-elect Malam Ibrahim Shekrau, threw their weights behind Senator Lawan’s candidacy, describing him as eminently qualified to occupy the exalted seat, going by international parliamentary best practices.

    Senator Barau Jubrin, who is the secretary of Ahmed Lawan Campaign Organization, led other members of the campaign train to the residence of Senator-elect Shekarau, who also endorsed Lawan.

    Among those who visited Kano with the Senate Leader were Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), chairman, Ahmed Lawan Campaign Organization; Senator Danladi Sankara who is the new Senator-elect for Jigawa North-West Senatorial District; Senator Bello Maudiya (Katsina South); Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (Lagos West); Senator Degi-Eremienyo (Bayelsa East) and Senator Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East).

    According to Senator Jubrin, “the National Assembly leadership is elected based on international parliamentary best practices. What used to be the case was a beat appellation to that parliamentary best practices.

    “In every parliament, leaders are elected based on ranking, based on experience, and once a parliament goes by election and the party that gets the majority in that election produces the leader, and in this case, the majority leader in such a parliament automatically becomes the Senate President or the Speaker, as the case may be.

    “Now, Ahmed Lawan is the current leader and he will be the oldest senator, the most ranked Senator in the 9th Senate. He was a two-time member of House of Representatives and four-time member of the Senate. So, he is the most experienced and most ripe for the job of the Senate presidency, going by intentional parliamentary best practices.”

    Read also: ‘How PDP plans to frustrate Lawan’s ambition in ninth Senate’

    On his part, Shekarau, two-time governor of Kano State and senator-elect for Kano Central who hosted the Lawan’s campaign train, said: “I am so highly honoured to be visited by this high-powered delegation led by the leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

    “I am now a Senator-elect and I pray the 9th National Assembly will be a very peaceful and smooth one, where we will all join hands together to move Nigeria forward.

    “I also congratulate you for aspiring to lead the National Assembly. It is one thing to be there, it is another thing to be identified as a leader. It is a challenge and we are all proud of the fact the it is one of those that we have known before that is aspiring to lead the National Assembly.

    “I believe you have all it takes to lead the National Assembly. We are already your canvassers. Whether you are around or not, you need not to be out to it, or recruit us to do it. We understand where we need to go and who needs to have the responsibility to lead us.

    “It is not that you a super person among the rest, but one thing is that you are the first among the equals, and I believe that with all the other experienced people around, you will be able to give Nigeria, a Senate that everybody will be very proud of.

    “So, I pray Allah in his wisdom will see you through and I pray you will make it, you will succeed. For the fact that others are interested is nothing new. It is a contest, many others may want to come in.

    “Sometimes it is more interesting to say that I won election than just say it is dashed over. So, I pray Allah in his wisdom will grant you the success. Allah will give you the required guidance and bless you.”

    In his response, Senator Lawan said they were in Kano to solicit the support of Malam Shekarau whose wealth of experience he said is much needed to move the 9th Senate forward.

    According to him, “we are very happy you are going to be part of the 9th Senate. The 9th Senate will be a very good one because we have so many people who have gone through some other experiences in life.

    “Even before you became a governor, you were a very disciplined person, a very thorough person and a very considerate person.

    “Now, when you became a governor, you introduced sanity in Kano. You have gathered a lot of experience in life. We hope and pray that such experience will be made available in the Senate and I want to say that you are going to be one of our leaders in the Senate because we always have a small group of people that we refer to as leaders, not because they are former governors, but because they have seen so much in life.

  • Senate presidency: Kano senators endorse Lawan

    The ambition of Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, to become Senate President in the 9th National Assembly has received a boost as three Senators from Kano state on Friday endorsed his candidacy.

    The three Senators from Kano Barau Jubrin, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and Malam Ibrahim Shekrau threw their weight behind Senator Ahmed Lawan’s candidacy.

    They described him as eminently qualified to occupy the exalted seat going by international parliamentary best practices.

    Senator Barau Jubrin, who is the secretary of Ahmed Lawan Campaign Organisation, led other members of the campaign train to the residence of Senator-elect, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau who also endorsed Lawan.

    Among those who visited Kano with the Senate Leader include Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) chairman, Ahmed Lawan Campaign Organisation; Senator Danladi Sankara, who is the Senator-elect for Jigawa North-West Senatorial District; Senator Bello Maudiya (Katsina South); Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (Lagos West); Senator Degi-Eremienyo (Bayelsa East) and Senator Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East).

     Jubrin said: “The National Assembly leadership is elected based on international parliamentary best practices.

    “In every parliament, leaders are elected based on ranking, based on experience and once a parliament goes by election and the party that gets the majority in that election produces the leader, and in this case, the majority leader in such a parliament automatically becomes the Senate President or the Speakers, as the case may be.

     “Now, Ahmed Lawan is the current leader and he will be the oldest Senator, the most ranked Senator in the 9th Senate.

    “He was a two-time members of House of Representatives and four-time member of the Senate.

    “So, he is the most experienced and most ripe for the job of the Senate presidency going by intentional parliamentary best practices.”

    Shekarau said: “I am so highly honoured to be visited by this high-powered delegation led by the leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

    “I am now a Senator-elect and I pray the 9th National Assembly will be a very peaceful and smooth one, where we will all join hands together to move Nigeria forward.

    “I also congratulate you for aspiring to lead the National Assembly. It is one thing to be there, it is another thing to be identified as a leader.

    “It is a challenge and we are all proud of the fact the it is one of those that we have known before that is aspiring to lead the National Assembly.

    READ ALSO: Why we want Lawan as Senate President, by APC Governors

    “I believe you have all what it takes to lead the National Assembly. We are already your canvassers whether you are around or not, you need not to be out to it, or recruit us to do it. We understand where need to go and who needs to have the responsibility to lead us.

    “It is not that you a super-person among all the rest, but one thing is that you are the first among all the equals and I believe that with all the other experienced people around, you will be able to give Nigeria, a Senate that everybody will be very proud of.”

    Lawan said they were in Kano to solicit for the support of Shekarau, whose wealth of experience he said is much needed to move the 9th Senate forward.

    In a chat with reporters, Adeola explained further why Senator Ahmed Lawan should be elected as the new Senate President of the 9th Assembly.

    According to him: “Senator Ahmed Lawan has been an experienced lawmaker. He has been around since 1999.

    “He is a very distinguished Nigerian, with wealth of experience in the business of lawmaking.

    “Senator Lawan has over the years distinguished himself as a Nigerian who is detribalized, who believes in the principles of fairness and equity, and fair-play.

    “He is one Nigerian that holds the sanctity of this nation in a very high esteem. Aside that, Senator Lawan is the current leader of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and in accordance with international parliamentary best practices, as it is obtained in other parts of the world, when you have the leader of the National Assembly, whether in the House of Representatives or the Senate, it is only right for him to transit when his party is the majority party.”

  • Senate presidency: Youths march for Goje

    •Kabiru Gaya joins race for deputy

    THE race for president of the Ninth Senate has taken a twist,  as groups, under the aegis of Amalgamated Youths, yesterday, stormed the National Assembly to drum up support for Senator Danjuma Goje.

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsed Senator Ahmad Lawan as its candidate for the Senate president for the ninth session.

    Senators Lawan (Yobe North) and Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) have declared publicly their interest for the position.

    Goje is yet to make any public declaration to contest the position of Senate president.

    But a group, , from Northeast, staged a rally at the National Assembly gate, asking Goje to declare his intention.

    Led by Bello Ambo, from Bauchi State, the group said neither the endorsement of Lawan by APC’s national leadership nor expression of interest by Ndume should prevent Goje from throwing his hat in the ring for the position of Senate president.

    Ambo noted that “Goje stands far above the others having controlled a state for eight years between 2003 and 2011 and been in the Senate with the required parliamentary experience.

    He said: “…Senate president requires administrative and parliamentary knowledge enormously possessed by Goje as against the two…”

    Reminded that the APC had taken a decision on who should occupy the position, Ambo insisted “Senators-elect were matured people who can decide who their leader should be and should be allowed to do so.”

    He said: “…APC … should allow …senators -elect  to decide whoever they want as their leader in whatever capacity.’’

    Senator Kabiru Gaya has joined the race for deputy Senate president.

    Gaya, who represents Kano South, is an APC member .

    A former Kano State governor in the truncated Third Republic, Gaya is spending a third term in the Senate, having been first elected in 2007.

    Gaya’s declaration followed APC’s leadership decision to zone the position to the Southsouth. The senator is from Northwest.

    Addressing reporters in his office yersterday, Gaya said he was not aware the leadership of his party had zoned the position to Southsouth.

    Justifying his aspiration for the position, Gaya noted that the Speaker had been zoned to Southwest where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo hailed from.

    According to him, there was nothing wrong in having the deputy Senate president from Northwest where President Muhammadu Buhari hailed from.

    Gaya said: “The general analysis of the Nigerian political power equation indicates there is need for Northeast to produce the Senate president; Southwest, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Northwest, deputy Senate president; Northcentral, deputy Speaker; while Senate Majority leader and House Majority leader shall go to Southeast and the Southsouth.”

    He noted that leadership positions in the National Assembly should be based on ranking and experience.

    Senator Gaya said the position of deputy Senate president and that of deputy Speaker ought to be open to qualified aspirants, regardless of geopolitical zones.

    The Kano lawmaker, who chairs the Senate Committee on Works, however, clarified he was still consulting with critical stakeholders, including APC and fellow senators.

    Describing himself as a loyal party member, Gaya said he would not go against the party’s decision to give the position to another zone.

    “I don’t disobey my party leadership. What I am saying is that I am the most ranking and most qualified for the job”, he said.

     

  • Senate Presidency: APC’s endorsement of Lawan unconstitutional – Ndume

    The endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the positions of Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives, in the 9th National Assembly, may have sparked off a crisis of confidence in the ruling party.

    Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, one of the contenders for the Senate Presidency, on Tuesday described the endorsement APC handed to Lawan as unconstitutional and completely against the spirit of fair play.

    The Borno South Senator told reporters in Abuja that the position of the party on who emerges the Senate President cannot stand as it did not follow due process.

    The National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was reported to have announced the endorsement of Lawan and Gbajabiamila as candidates of the APC for the posts of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    Ndume said that he consulted widely and was given the go-ahead by party leaders to vie for the position.

    He insisted the Constitution provided the procedure for the election of the Senate President

    For him, the best the party could have done was to zone the slot of Senate President to a geo-political zone and allow the zone to choose their candidate

    Although Ndume said that he was not desperate for the position of Senate President, he assured that he would consult his colleagues on the way forward.

    Read Also: Ndume joins race for Senate President

    Ndume said: “First of all, let me say that the decision by the party to settle for an individual instead of zoning the position to a particular geopolitical zone and also consulting or allowing the senators from that zone to decide who among them they prefer as Senate President, is a surprise.

    “We were surprised on Monday when national chairman of our party told us a decision had been taken to adopt Ahmad Lawan as candidate from the North East for the position of the President of the Senate.

    “The reason why I am shocked and I am sure that is the feeling of my colleagues, is that the constitutional provision for the emergence of the leadership of the Senate is clearly spelt out.

    “Section 51 (a) of the Constitution says that “there shall be a Senate President and Deputy Senate President who shall be elected by members of the House .

    “Section 1 of the Constitution clearly states that “this Constitution is binding on all Nigerians and government agencies.

    “It went further to say that any other law that contravenes the provision of the Constitution is null and void.

    “As a party that is supposed to be democratic and as a government that insists on allowing due process to prevail, this is strange. A candidate of APC normally emerges by one of three means, namely- consensus, indirect elections and direct primaries.

    “As I said, such a decision was taken and we were not given the chance to ask questions. We were not allowed to make comments.

    “The President made his remarks and after that, the national anthem was recited.

    “Even the chosen candidate was not given the chance to thank us or say something about it. Those of us that have indicated interests were not consulted or given the chance to make any comments.

    “I left there with that shock but I slept well notwithstanding. I am one among equal. I am just one among 109 senators. I am not better than them, except for Lawan. I came back and slept well.

    “My wife and children were worried about my feelings. I was even late for the prayers in the morning.

    “I try my best in everything I do and I leave the rest to God. I am now leaving this to God and those who elected me. I am going home to consult with elders who gathered themselves and asked me to contest. I will consult with them and then take a final decision.

    “The party has taken a decision. I ultimately wait on the decision of Almighty God and my colleagues. That is what I will say for now.”

    Asked to explain what he meant by waiting for his colleagues to decide his fate, he said: “You should not be confused. The constitution is clear. It says the Senate shall elect its president and deputy.

    “Like I said, my decision to contest for the position of the Senate President is not personal. Even my colleagues encouraged me to run. Not just the elected ones. They said I should vie for the position. Even then, the party didn’t say it had elected Ahmad Lawan. It only said it has nominated Lawan.

    “The way the leadership of the National Assembly should emerge is clearly stated. Anything contrary to that means it is illegal and it can’t stand. As I said, we wait on God.

    “I am not the one saying this. It is the decision of my colleagues. I am one of those offering himself to contest for the position. I can’t even nominate myself. Someone has to nominate and second me. I can’t say that a candidate has been imposed on us. The decision is now left for my colleagues. If you look at the history of the National Assembly, such decisions have never gone down well.

    “In 1999, Evan Ewerem was imposed. He didn’t last. Wabara was also imposed. It didn’t last. After that, the PDP we have accused of impunity didn’t do this.

    “In 2007, the PDP showed wisdom by zoning the position to North Central. That was what led to the contest between David Mark and George Akume. Because that happened, Mark served for two terms. Mark would have served for another term if PDP had won. He served his tenure peacefully.

  • Lawan: Why I want to be Senate President

    The race for the Senate Presidency in the next dispensation is on and it is official.

    After weeks of speculations, Senate Leader, Dr. Ahmed Lawan threw his hat into the ring yesterday and gave reasons why he is seeking the post and why he is more suited than anyone else to go for it.

    Lawan who represents Yobe North told journalists in Abuja that the Senate under his watch would work in partnership with the executive arm of government to make Nigeria better through legislative engineering.

    Flanked by some of his supporters in the Red Chambers, he said that his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), with its clear majority in the Senate, was poised to produce the Senate President.

    Lawan was the party’s favourite for the position in 2015 until an unlikely alliance between some members of APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) frustrated his emergence and instead made Dr. Bukola Saraki Senate President and Mr. Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP his deputy.

    He said yesterday that it was now imperative to make the Senate more productive and more focused in its legislative business.

    His words: “Just like in 2015 when we sought to lead the Senate, we have come to the conclusion that we have something to offer by leading the Senate and the entire National Assembly.

    “We are not under any illusions. We know that this requires a lot in terms of momentum and work we have to do to make Nigeria better through legislative interventions, also by working with other arms of the government.

    “You have known us for a long time. You know our strengths and weaknesses. We need to project what we want to offer. We need to tell Nigerians what we can do. We need everyone in this journey of four years we will embark on soon.

    Read also: Breaking: INEC adjourns collation of Sokoto rerun

    “I am asking for cooperation, support and understanding of everyone. We want to work for everyone to ensure that Nigeria is better and ensure that we receive the fairest deal from government.

    “By the grace of God, we make serious positive changes. Nigerians voted for change. They have renewed their commitment to APC this year. It means that Nigerians have faith in us. I thank Nigerians for keeping faith with us in this dispensation.

    “What we are doing is to reach out to our colleagues, either elected or outgoing. We are talking to them about our mission and why we are campaigning to lead the National Assembly.

    “We are telling them why we need to make the Senate more productive and more focused. APC senators are so critical. We are reaching out to senators from other political parties. We are going to be talking about it much later.

    “Let me say that we are senators who believe in party supremacy. We believe in the leadership of our party. The leadership we are seeking is that of the Senate and the National Assembly.”

    On how to avoid the June 9th, 2015 experience when Saraki emerged Senate president against the position of the APC that had majority in the Senate he said: “APC must have learnt its lessons.

    “The leadership of the party will do something differently. I am sure that our leaders will manage the huge success of APC. The party will find us very compliant and supportive.”

    Asked what Nigerians should expect from him if he emerges the Senate President, he said: “I believe in what my party does. The current President campaigned on security, anti-corruption and the economy.

    “We have remained consistent as a party and an administration. Our main task will be to support the President and the party to implement the campaign promises.

    “We want an economy that will ensure an all inclusive growth. Our main constituency as a progressive party is the ordinary people.

    “It doesn’t mean that the elite are not with them. But those who worked for our success are those ordinary people. It is crucial for our administration to come up with programmes that will make life better for us.

    “We will also support those in the private sector so they can create jobs. We have worked hard as a government in the last four years. We want to work harder going forward so that our youths can get jobs that will grow the economy.

    “We have social investment programmes. We will have some reforms in that sector so it can deliver well. Agriculture is one area we have worked on.

    “Today, Nigeria doesn’t import rice anymore. What that means is that, the billions of dollars spent on importation are now within this country. In every part of the country, we produce so much rice. That is wealth creation. Even though we have challenges in that area, we have done well.

    “We have areas of concerns in the security sector. We need to support the Executive to always ensure that we improve on it. When we came to government in 2015, so many parts of the country were under the control of Boko Haram insurgents. We want to see a situation where the security architecture of the country can be reformed.

    “I headed the security architecture ad-hoc committee in the Senate. We submitted our report. The report recommended reforms in our armed forces. It is not about giving money. We must have a structure that will utilise monies released prudently. Where the Executive feels they need intervention, we will legislate.

    “It is our mission to ensure that this administration continues to fight against corruption. Most of the things we are suffering in this country, it is because people have stolen public funds. When you are able to curtail the excesses in that regard, we will move forward. We should be proactive. We will legislate to ensure that it will be difficult for people to steal in the public and private sectors.

    “As a country, why can’t we have an anti-corruption court? We need to fast track legal processes and ensure that those found guilty of any corruption charges are jailed instead of waiting for up to 10 years. This gives the people the confidence to steal since they know that our anti-corruption laws are weak.

    “These are areas we will focus on. We will focus on our education. We will review it to conform to the current day reality. We will ensure that our graduates get a good deal. We will look at law reforms. Those that require total overhaul will get that.

    “We have to have a bipartisan chamber. We will disagree from time to time because of some issues. But because we are senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will remain united. I was in the opposition for 16 years before we became part of the party in government. Even as an opposition, we knew when to oppose and support the government.

    “Take for instance security. Is there any senator who will oppose the improvement on security? We will work to achieve the desired unity. There will be equity and fairness in the chamber. Once we unite around national interest, we will contribute meaningfully to governance.

    “We will do something to support the Executive. By the way, who said we will never disagree with the Executive? By design, we are meant to disagree. But when we disagree, we should sit down and look at issues. Every issue must be based on national interest.”

  • 9th NASS: Epic battle brews in Senate

    The battle for the Senate Presidency is gaining momentum by the day.

    With certificates of return issued to senators-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, the battle for the nation’s number three seat has shifted to the geo-political zones.

    Impeccable sources listed North East, South South and South East geo-political zones as the front runners in the jostle for the exalted seat of the Senate President.

    While the three zones are said to have stepped up their bid for the Senate President slot, the North West zone is also said to be interested in the position of Deputy Senate President.

    The zones, it was gathered, are reaching out to the Presidency and the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) to make case for themselves in the zoning arrangements of APC.

    With APC’s majority of 65 members, PDP 42 and YPP 1, APC is expected to produce the President of the Ninth Senate.

    Findings showed that sitting senators and others newly elected were positioning themselves to grab available leadership positions in the Ninth Senate, which may be inaugurated on June 8.

    Inside sources believe that until the APC rolls out its zoning formula, the intrigue, scheming by aspirants for the coveted seat would not abate.

    Front runners in the race for Senate Presidency include Senators Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North), Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) all from North East.

    Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), who is also said to have indicated interest in the Senate top job, hails from the North Central geo-political zone.

    New entrants for the exalted position are said to include Senators Benjamin Uwajimogu, Francis Alimikhena and Senator-elect Orji Uzor Kalu.

    But some of them are regarded as mere pretenders for the top job.

    Lawan, a sitting senator and Senate Leader, was highly favoured by the APC in 2015 for the position of Senate President.

    Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, however, upstaged Lawan in what is widely regarded as an “unholy alliance” with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators, to become the Senate President in 2015.

    It is however generally believed that the Yobe North Senator looks good to become the Senate President this time around if the APC zones the position to the North East.

    Lawan is said to have already stepped up his bid to clinch the Senate top job.

    He appears the candidate to beat in the contest, going by his track record and standing in the APC.

    Senator Ndume contested the position of Deputy Senate President in 2015 but lost to Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    Ndume, a former Senate leader, has never hidden his desire to become the Senate President.

    Those close to him say the Borno South Senator is networking in and out of APC to actualise his ambition.

    Senator Abdullahi Adamu, leader of the Legislative Support Group for President Muhammadu Buhari, is also said to have oiled his machinery to give the Senate top job a shot.

    Adamu, it was gathered, is leveraging on his unalloyed support for Buhari and his loyalty to APC to make a case for occupying the Senate President’s seat.

    The dark horse in the race is said to be Mohammed Danjuma Goje.

    Close watchers of the tussle for the seat say Saraki’s loyalists and PDP Senators may back Goje in the contest for Senate presidency.

    The Gombe Central Senator, though a strong APC member, is considered “a moderate who is likely to protect the interest of PDP members in the chamber.”

    PDP insiders say the permutations as to how to cast their net would be directed by the party’s leadership.

    Those positioning themselves for the Senate top job from the South South are said to include the Senate Deputy Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena and the Delta Central Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege.

    Observers say Alimikhena (Edo North) and Omo-Agege may be banking on the influence of APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to ensure zoning the slot of either the Senate President or Deputy Senate President to the South-South geo-political zone.

    If that happens, the duo would be in a better position to clinch one of the positions.

    In the South East, Senators Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) and Benjamin Uwajimogu (Imo North) are said to have their eyes on the Senate Presidency if the slot is allotted to the zone.

    Kalu, described as a “go getter” by those close to him, and Uwajimogu are the only APC senators from the South East.

    The duo are said to be selling their aspiration on the plank that the South East geo-political zone would be out of the scheme of things if the Senate Presidency eludes the zone.

    Senator Kabiru Gaya has made case for the slot of Deputy Senate President to be zoned to North West to enable him go for it.

    Gaya, Kano South and Chairman Senate Committee on Works, has already declared his aspiration and claimed that his colleagues in the red chamber are behind him.

    Gaya said: “I thank the Almighty Allah who granted me the grace of being elected into the Senate for the fourth time.

    “As regards the leadership composition of the 9th Senate, majority of my colleagues are mounting pressure on me to run for the position of Deputy Senate President.

    “I want to use this opportunity to announce that I’m running for the position, being one of the most ranking Senators in the 9th Senate.”

    His ambition, according to the Kano South senator, is however subject to the determination and approval of the APC leadership and the Presidency.

    The aspiration of Gaya, who hails from the North West geo-political zone, may alter the permutations being made for the Senate leadership positions

    Observers say if Gaya emerges Deputy Senate President, it may be difficult to also retain the Senate Presidency in the North.

    The South West geo-political zone is not left out in the scheming for Senate leadership positions.

    Feelers from the zone show that the South West senators are waiting for the APC zoning arrangements to decide on their next line of action.

    A source close to one of the Senators-elect from the South West, Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi, said that the Ekiti North Senator is eligible to aspire for any position in the Senate zoned to the South West.

    “The truth of the matter is that APC still has to come up with its zoning arrangements, and depending on what is zoned to the South West, Adetunbi, as a ranking senator, is eligible and will show more than a passing interest in the slots,” the source said.

    But aspirants banking on the support of the Presidency to secure Senate top jobs may be disappointed.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Affairs (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said that President Buhari believes strongly in the principle of separation of power and may not interfere in the selection process of the leadership of the National Assembly

    “President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of high principles. His stand on this matter is that each arm of government should function according to what the constitution says, and that every person in government should do the right thing, and that he will not go beyond what the constitution allows him and that every other arm of government should stick to their constitutional responsibilities,” Enang told reporters in Abuja yesterday.

  • Sen Omo-Agege and senate presidency

    OVIE Omo-Agege is doubtless one of the most controversial senators of the 8th Senate. He represents Delta Central. While serving suspension from the Senate last year, he was alleged to have placed himself squarely at the centre of an operation that saw thugs invade the Senate in April 2018, and in the process stole the mace. He had been suspended on April 12, 2018 for his disruptive actions during a consideration of the electoral amendment bill which the presidency was not favourably disposed to. Six days later, he was alleged to have led a band of lowlives to steal the mace in a dramatic fashion. He denied the accusation, but no one believed him.

    The controversial senator will be one of the very few senators from the South-South or Southeast in the 9th Senate. Had he been a lawmaker of exemplary conduct, he would have been one of those actively considered for the senate presidency. But not only was he controversial in a strong-arm fashion, and still is, he is also unduly self-serving and servile. Speaking to the press mid-week, he took away from the Senate the responsibility of electing their leaders and placed it grovelingly at the feet of the president. ”Anybody who is going to be Senate President, in the 9th Senate, must be somebody who is loyal to Mr President, the party and the constitution,” he fawned. “The Senate President will be determined by Mr President. Mr President will indicate to us through the party who he wants to work with.”

    He offered this position based on the lessons learnt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when the party amateurishly let Bukola Saraki seize the senate leadership after the 2015 elections. Both the party and the president were subsequently unable to grapple with the unorthodox, if sometimes rebellious, leadership of Sen Saraki. Had Sen Omo-Agege not been the servile, indecorous lawmaker he had sheepishly grown to become, he would have been silent on whatever role he expected the president to play in the election of National Assembly leaders. Decency demands that whatever input the president would like to make in that important process would be done behind closed doors and with all sense of responsibility. Neither the APC nor the excited Sen Omo-Agege needed to voice those plans.

  • Senate Presidency: Ex-governors plot upset

    To what extent can former governors in the Senate influence the choice of who becomes President of the 9th Senate?

    The elected former governors in the upper chamber are plotting to influence who will be  principal officers when the Ninth Assembly is inaugurated in June, The Nation has learnt.

    It was gathered that the former governors, taking advantage of their upscale status, are planning to “play a major role” in who takes over from outgoing Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Saraki, a two-time senator and former Kwara State governor, lost his bid to return to the Red Chamber on February 23. He lost the Kwara Central Senatorial seat to his All Progressives Congress (APC) challenger, Yahaya Ibrahim Oloriegbe. The former Kwara State helmsman was elected President in 2015.

    Sources told The Nation that the former governors had been meeting in Abuja to perfect their plans.

    One of the meetings was said to have been held last Sunday in the Asokoro, Abuja home of one of the ex-governors.

    Sixteen former governors have been elected into the Ninth Senate.

    Ten of them are ranking senators, having either been former members of the House of Representatives or senators. The remaining six will have to cut their teeth in lawmaking.

    Being a ranking senator will pave the way for a senator to vie for any position of leadership in the Senate.

    The former governors are: Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); outgoing Borno State Governor Ibrahim Shettima; outgoing Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al Makura; outgoing Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam; former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shakarau; outgoing Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; outgoing Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha; former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and former Nasarawa State Governor; Abdullahi Adamu.

    Others are: former Gombe State Governor Mohammed Danjuma Goje; former Abia State governors Orji Uzor Kalu and Theodore Orji; former Kano State Governor Kabiru Gaya; former Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko; outgoing Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari and former Kebbi State Governor Adamu Aliero.

    A source privy to the plan of the ex-governors described them as “a formidable bloc”. The source said their alleged plot to determine the flow of issues in the Senate should not be taken lightly.

    “When I confronted one of them, he merely told me they were meeting to rub minds on how to be relevant in the affairs of the Ninth Senate. I know it is more than just to be relevant in the Senate. There is more to it. You know that the issue of who takes over from Saraki is at stake, going forward,” the source said, pleading not to be named.

    Asked how far the former governors can go to cause upset in the election of the Senate President, he insisted that “these are not people you take for granted, especially when it is obvious that nobody is elected to play second fiddle in the Senate”.

    The source said that he was also aware that zonal meetings of senators-elect were being held to articulate how to push the interests of zones in sharing leadership positions in the Senate.

    No zone, he said, wants to be left out “no matter the position of parties.”

    “For instance, I know that the Southeast and Southsouth senators-elect have been meeting to lobby for Senate President with the understanding that President Muhammadu Buhari is from the North, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is from the Southwest, acting Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Tanko Mohammed, is also from the North,” the source said.

    The source noted:  ”The way and manner the All Progressives Congress (APC), which will form the majority party in the Senate, handles the allocation of leadership positions will go a long way to determine the face of the Ninth Senate.”

     

  • Senate Presidency: How to stop a dark horse

    Who becomes the next Senate President? This is not an easy question to answer, writes Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja.

    The battle for Senate President is in top gear, it was learnt yesterday.

    Front runners for the exalted seat, including Senator Ahmed Lawan, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje and Senator Abdullahi Adamu, are said to be on top of their game.

    Others are expected to join the race in the days ahead.

    A source said the front runners have started reaching out to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators.

    The source noted that with about 66 new senators out of 109 coming to the upper chamber, the battle would be tough.

    He said if the APC failed to put its house in order before the inauguration of the 9th Senate in June , “the scenario of June 9th, 2015 when out going Senate President Bukola Saraki emerged Senate President with the active help of PDP senators would repeat itself.”

    He also listed Lawan ( Yobe North), Ndume ( Borno South ), Goje (Gombe Central) and Adamu (Nasarawa West) as the leading contenders in the race for the seat of Senate Presidency.

    According to the source, “Saraki factor in who takes over from him as Senate President should not be over looked.”

    He added that “it is obvious that most of the re-elected senators are loyalists of Saraki. You cannot over look that factor. It may play out in the choice of who emerges as Senate President. Already, high wired politics is going on among the top contenders. People are reaching out and wooing both old and incoming senators.”

    The source, who said that PDP senators must not be allowed to exploit any division among APC senators, noted that “the battle is still very much open and up for grab.”

    On PDP factor in the Senate, he said  with APC 65 senators and PDP 41, the opposition party must not be underrated.

    He said:“Anybody PDP senators with their expected block vote back for the race will carry the day.”

    The APC and the Presidency, he said, should consider all possibilities before endorsing any senator for the top job.

    For him, “The APC should conduct proper and indebt profiling of the contenders. Their strength and weaknesses should be considered. Their track records are likely to come to play in the choice of who becomes the Senate President.”

    To prevent a dark horse from emerging Senate President, the APC must not allow all comers affair, Chairman Senate Committee on Labour and Productive, Senator Abu Ibrahim, has said.

    Senator Ibrahim told reporters in Abuja that APC should immediately meet on the matter.

    The Katsina South Senator said  APC should set in motion the process of endorsing its candidate for the Senate President to avoid what happened in 2015 when Saraki emerged Senate President against the Party’s position.

    Ibrahim is  upbeat that the APC will do what is necessary in the interest of the party.

    Results of the last  National Assembly elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), shows that the  APC won 65 of the 109  (about 59%) senatorial seats in the country, leaving the  PDP with  41 senatorial seats (37%) and Young Progressives Party’s (YPP) one seat (1%).

    The APC   secured 61 seats in the Red Chambers in 2015 before the PDP infiltrated its ranks to secure the office of the Deputy President of the Senate for Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    A report in this paper at the weekend quoted a source as saying: “The horse-trading to lead the Senate and the House of Representatives has begun.

    “It is going to be a tough contest because all the candidates are ranking. For example, Ndume has been in the National Assembly for 16 years with eight years spent in the House and another eight years in the Senate. Lawan has been a Senator since 2007 with Adamu and Goje joining in 2011.

    “Some governors and APC stalwarts are gambling with the choice of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to lead the Senate as a bosom friend of the President. They have linked the suspension of the governor to the plot to install him as Senate President.

    “This jostling for power is despite of the fact that the APC is yet to define its zoning or power sharing formula. Those aspiring to lead the National Assembly are banking on the 2015 formula of the APC, which ceded the Senate Presidency to the Northeast and the Speaker to the Southwest, before the President of the Senate, Speaker Dogara and some APC lawmakers revolted.

    “The lack of zoning formula made ex-Governor Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the Northcentral to join the race. As the chairman of the Parliamentary Support Group which resisted the outgoing Senate President to save President Buhari, he believes he should lead the Senate.

    Responding to a question, the source said: “All the candidates are already lobbying not only to have the Senate presidency and House Speaker zoned to their areas but to be anointed.

    “Unless it is carefully managed, the Senate may witness a repeat of the 2015 crisis which PDP took advantage of.”

    “The only challenge APC is facing is about likely imposition of the Senate President and the Speaker. Most of the candidates want the race left open equitably.

    “This is why some APC leaders are pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari and party leaders to meet and work out an equitable power sharing module.”

    The source added: “I think in the next two months, the game will be more interesting. If Dogara’s candidacy does not fly, PDP might sponsor another ranking member from the Southwest to be the Speaker.”

    A source in government said: “President Buhari has really not shown interest now on those who will lead the National Assembly. Maybe he has a mindset but he is yet to discuss with party leaders.”

    Lawan is spending his 20h year in the National Assembly having being elected into the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003 before becoming a Senator.

    Set up zoning mechanism for NASS leadership to avoid 2015 scenario, Nabena tells APC

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Yekini Nabena, urged the leadership of the party to zone and select preferred principal officers of the incoming 9th National Assembly.

    He added:  “The Peoples Democratic Party has lost the presidential election and they have now adopted a plan B from their infamous Dubai strategy meeting.

    “The plan is to hijack the incoming National Assembly leadership by repeating their heinous coup in the previous Assembly.

    “The APC must prevent a repeat of a situation where despite our overwhelming majority in the outgoing 8th Senate and House of Representatives, its leadership was hijacked by saboteurs and their opposition PDP collaborators.”