Battle for Senate Leader,

House leader,others hots

up

•Lawan, Gbajabiamila face first

major test •Why APC governors

avoided zoning the office

Senate President Ahmad Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila will be facing their first major test as heads of the two chambers next month when some of their closest associates will be slugging it out to fill the remaining principal offices in the National Assembly.

In contention are the positions of Senate Majority Leader, Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip.

The APC governors had tactically avoided zoning the offices to keep the party’s caucus in the legislature united ahead of the election of the senate president and House of Reps speaker and their deputies.

The governors feared that the jostle for the principal offices might have implications on the election of the Senate President and the Speaker.

But following growing tension over the remaining offices, there were indications yesterday that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) might intervene with zoning formula and leave the party’s caucuses in the two chambers to elect the remaining principal officers.

The Northeast and Southsouth already have the Senate President and Deputy Senate President and are technically out of contention for the remaining offices while the Southwest and the Northcentral have the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives.

Aspiring to become Senate leader are ex-Governor Abdullahi Adamu (North-Central); former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu (Southeast), a former Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Na’Allah (Northwest); Prof. Ajayi Borrofice and Sen. Olubunmi Adetumbi( Southwest); Sen. Aisha Dahiru Modibbo ( Binani)- Northeast but representing women folk; Sen. Kabiru Gaya (Northwest) and Sen. Adamu Aliero (Northwest); a former spokesman for the Senate, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Northcentral); and ex- Chief Whip, Francis Alimikhena ( Southsouth).

A reliable source said: “The jostle for Senate Leader is more intense because those interested are heavyweights.

“As the leader of the Parliamentary Support Group (PSG) which was used to confront the administration of the immediate past President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu feels he should automatically be compensated for coordinating the assault which staved off some impeachment plots against the President.

See also PRESS RELEASE Conduct credible, unbiased LG election, Makinde charges OYSIEC …inaugurates commission *'I won't interfere with your activities' Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, inaugurated the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), charging its members to deliver credible, free and fair local government election in the state. The governor stated that the commission, headed by Mr. Isiaka Olagunju, has been saddled with the responsibility of overseeing an election, which outcome will reflect the will of the people. He charged the commission to, within the shortest possible time, make the will of the people prevail by conducting a local government election that is unbiased. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor, while speaking at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, venue of the swearing-in, said his administration is ready to conduct the local government election, as it has allocated money for OYSIEC in the 2020 Budget. He promised that his administration would not interfere with the activities of the commission. He said: "I want to thank the House of Assembly for confirming you in a timely manner. I hope that you will also imbibe the sense of urgency and conduct credible local government election in Oyo State within the shortest possible time. “We knew this would come and we already allocated money in the Oyo State Budget for this year to conduct the election. Within the shortest possible time, please give us elected officials at the local government level that are known to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." Governor Makinde, who said he has not yet indicated whether he will be running for another term in 2023 or not, as it is too early to be thinking of that for now, appealed to the opposition in the state not to overheat the polity. He urged politicians not to see elections as war or a do-or-die affair, but allow the will of people to prevail. "Some parties said they want to unseat me in 2023. It is okay, but I have not indicated the interest to run in 2023, as it is still too early. I may or may not. I have a second address and that is what we want to encourage in our space. “This board will have free hand. If they want to unseat me, it's fine; but they should contest and win many councillorship seats as much as possible so that we can know they are really serious. I will encourage them and others to contest in 2023. "Who knows who is going to be alive in the next hour? We are only sure of this moment. So, they should calm down. Elections should never be war or a do-or-die affair. Election in a democracy should be about the will of the people.” He added that members of the board are men and women of integrity with track records, admonishing them to do the work that will make people of the state proud of them. "I believe that the mandate of this board is to conduct an inclusive election. So, gone are the days when the governor of the state will manipulate matter so that some political parties will not field candidates. We are not here to play games. "So, I am saying to this board that the will of the people must remain sacrosanct. We have sent your names to the House of Assembly. We believe you are men and women of integrity. I have met one or two of you personally. It is not about the political party but the interest of the state and I believe the state will be proud of you,” he said. Speaking on behalf of the board members shortly after the swearing-in, the chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Olagunju, assured the people of the state that the board will conduct a credible and transparent local government election. He called on the people to have confidence and trust in the commission, adding that they will not be biased towards any political party and that the will of the people will prevail. Olagunju said: "The essence of inaugurating the board is to organise and manage local government election; that is our mandate and we have to follow it. "We were just inaugurated today. We need to go back to the office, see what is happening before we can talk about when to hold the election. It is possible this year but everything depends on the circumstances that we find ourselves when we get to the office. "When His Excellency was inaugurating the commission, he gave us the mandate that we must ensure that the will of the people prevail and that it is sacrosanct. So, we want to assure the people of Oyo State that we will conduct a transparent, credible and acceptable election. "I can also assure that people will have confidence and trust in the commission. It will be our joy that all political parties will participate in the election process. The governor has also said that we should not favour any party, because he is not in support of impartiality." The Board members include: Comrade Adeniji Babatunde, Alhaja Ganiyat Saka, Mr. Emmanuel Olanrewaju, Chief Kunmi Agboola, Mr. Aderemi Ayoade, Mr. Sunday Falana and Mr. Adeojo Elias. The swearing-in was attended by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka; Head of Service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola and other cabinet members, as well as chieftains of the PDP in the state, led by the chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha. Signed: Taiwo Adisa Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde September 3, 2020.

“But old age is counting against him because the position of the Senate Leader is highly demanding as the engine room of the upper chamber. Also, the PDP, which is the main opposition party in the Senate will not be comfortable with the ex-governor as Senate Leader more so after the emergence of a strong member of PSG is now the Deputy President of the Senate (Omo-Agege).

“Having lost out in the race for the President of the Senate, Abdullahi Adamu is overwhelmed with suspicion that he might be left in the lurch by the President and the party.

“The thinking of some of the APC governors is that Abdullahi Adamu does not have the capacity; but for political expediency, he can be Senate Leader and an agile ranking Senator can be Deputy Senate Leader to make the office vibrant.

“But the young elements among APC Senators are insisting on a middle aged Senate Leader in view of the enormous tasks at hand.

“We are looking forward to the zoning formula by the party. Once we have it other positions might be resolved through consensus or election by caucuses.”

The race to be principal officers is tighter in the House of Representatives with the emergence of three blocs.

Sources said it has reached a point that a member, Emeka Nwajiuba of the Accord Party is being prevailed upon to defect to APC to be able to occupy any of the offices available for contest.

The blocs are Northwest, Northeast and Southeast.

The competition has further split the Northwest into sub-groups as follows: Sokoto-Kebbi axis; Kano-Jigawa alliance, and Zamfara- Kaduna challenge.

Top aspirants are former Deputy Speaker nominee to Gbajabiamila in 2015, M. T. Monguno (Northeast); ex-Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa; Garba Datti; Musa Sarki Ada; Goro Aminu Suleiman (Northwest); Johnson Egwahido Oguma (Southsouth); Nkiru Onyejeocha who stepped down for the Speaker ;and Emeka Nwajiuba (Southeast).

See also Lagos APC crisis worsens as Tinubu dissolves groups••• There is no rift - Tinubu

Both the Northeast and Northwest say they deserve the office.

Also, the Southeast said it would be absurd to lose out at the Executive level and in the National Assembly.

It was gathered that the Northeast has resolved its differences and opted to present Monguno (a fourth termer) as its candidate for the House Leader.

But it seems difficult to foster any agreement in the Northwest because most states in the zone are claiming that Kano-Jigawa axis has dominated principal offices conceded to the zone in the past.

A source said: “We are trying as much as possible to negotiate so that there will be no rancour when we resume. As it is now, we are thinking of conceding the House Leader either to the North-East or the North-West.

“If the Northeast produces the House Leader, the Northwest will automatically secure the Chief Whip. Also, some concerned members are thinking of the Deputy Majority Leader slot either for the Southeast or the Southsouth. If the Southeast produces Deputy Leader, then the Southsouth may go for Deputy Chief Whip.

“All these suggestions are in the realm of permutations until the party meets and agrees on power sharing formula.

“Where there is no consensus, whatever is concedes to each zone, the APC caucus in the zone will conduct election to choose who they prefer to be their candidate for their slot.”

Checks indicated that while APC is trying to wriggle out of its challenge, the PDP has a bigger problem in picking Minority Leader and Deputy Minority Leader for the House of Representatives.

Those in the race to be Minority Leader are a former House Majority Leader/ Minority Leader, Leo Ogor; Chukwuma Onyema; Nicholas Osai Osai; Kingsley Chinda; Ndudi Elumelu; and Muraina Ajibola, who was once favoured to be the Speaker.

See also APC NEC meeting: Tinubu Spits Fire, Calls Party Members Coup Plotters

A PDP lawmaker said: “What is making our party’s decision difficult is that Governor Nyesom Wike is pushing for Kingsley Chinda from Rivers State as Minority Leader. He said he wants an opposition leader in the House who can put APC on its toes.

“But some of us are saying since Leo Ogor has fully recovered from his recent illness, he should be allowed to continue as the Minority Leader. Wike and other PDP governors have not been able to reach any compromise on any candidate.

“They have been able to decide the positions for PDP in the Senate, we may have to go for election in the House.

“Ogor has however said it is not a do-or-die affair. He said he is taking it easy. APC lawmakers however prefer to work with Ogor than Chinda.”

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives have been careful in managing pressure from those who want to be principal officers.

A ranking House member said: “The choice of other principal officers is a litmus test for Lawan and Gbajabiamila. It is always a bigger aspect of the banana peel in the National Assembly.

“If they get it right, there will be peace in the National Assembly. Otherwise, it is going to be four years of treachery.”

A Senator said: “The appointment or election of principal officers will determine the leadership direction of the Senate President and the Speaker, We will be able to determine whether we can trust them or not.

“So far, they have applied wisdom in shifting everything to the party. We however know better.”

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has already picked Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe,a former deputy governor of Abia State , as Minority Leader , Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South) as Deputy Minority Leader and Philip Aduda (FCT) , as Minority Whip. To assist him is Clifford Odia (Edo Central)

News served as it breaks!

Battle for Senate Leader, House leader,others hots up•Lawan, Gbajabiamila face first major test •Why APC governors avoided zoning the office

Battle for Senate Leader,

House leader,others hots

up

•Lawan, Gbajabiamila face first

major test •Why APC governors

avoided zoning the office

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