By Samuel Itsede
Fresh crisis has erupted in the National Assembly over plots by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to foist leadership on the two chambers of the National Assembly and attempt to shut out members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the contest.
While APC federal lawmakers are tackling the party’s national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, over plot to impose leaders on them, the opposition PDP vowed that their members are going to contest for the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly, if necessary.
The APC is believed to have adopted the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan as Bukola Saraki’s successors while the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole vowed that the party will not share the leadership of the National Assembly with the PDP.
Reacting to the adoption of Senator Ndume, one of the major contenders, Senator Muhammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) questioned the decision which was made known to them during a dinner party hosted by President Muhammedu Buhari
Ndume, while briefing Newsmen, said he is still in the race and cannot be intimidated out, stressing that the best thing the party can do is to allow senators-elect decide who will emerge the senate president and his deputy.
He described as unconstitutional the adoption of the Senator Lawan by the national leadership of the APC and stressed the party leadership’s move to impose Lawan is contrary to Section 50 (1) (A) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which gave the senators-elect the right to elect their leaders on the day of inauguration.
Apart from Lawan and Ndume, other APC senators in the contest areSenator Danjuma Goje, and Senator Ali Ndume while
those jostling to become deputy Senate president are former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Ajayi Borofice and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
In the House of Representatives, the Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazaq Sa’ad Namdas, went ahead of the leadership of the APC on Tuesday declared his intention to contest for the House Speaker.
Hon Namdas, who is representing Jada/Ganyeb/Mbyo’ Belwa/Toungo Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, told Journalists in Abuja that he has the requisite experience to lead the House.
“I am offering myself for the position ‘of Speaker because the 9th Assembly deserves the best of leadership. I am convinced and I believe you are aware that I possess the necessary legislative and personal credentials to effectively lead the House to enviable heights.
“As the spokesperson for the House I represented and defended the legislature effectively for four years; hence I am better positioned to preside and speak for the House as Speaker. I am not contesting because I have been anointed or endorsed by any entrenched interest; but because I am the candidate of the Nigerian people. This ambition is not self-serving; it is in the national interest. It is for the Nigerian project.”
As the APC federal lawmakers are getting restive over the move to impose leaders on them the opposition PDP took the ruling party to the cleaners for grandstanding, insisting that its elected senators and members of the House of Representatives are constitutionally eligible and can seek election into any presiding office of both chambers of the National Assembly
The party said through its Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan that the position of the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as the Deputy Senate President and the Deputy Speaker are not the exclusive preserves of any political party, but a constitutional right of every elected lawmaker in both chambers.
“It is therefore laughable and amounts to empty grandstanding and self-delusion for President Muhammadu Buhari and the factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, to posture as if the presiding offices and Committee Chairmanship in the National Assembly are exclusive rights of the APC.
“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 reminded 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, 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 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 the minority in both Houses.”
Worried by name-dropping by APC contenders for the leadership of the Senate, the Senate caucus of the PDP on Tuesday called on their counterparts in the APC to stop dragging the name of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, into the schemes and plots over who and who gets elected into the leadership of the Ninth Senate.
In a statement signed by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, the PDP caucus stated that it has observed closely as the contenders for the various Senate leadership posts in the APC sponsor various publications in the media to make it appear that Dr. Saraki is seeking to play a role in who occupy the various leadership posts in the next Senate.
“We have noted with regret and surprise how some Senators who are interested in becoming the next Senate President and those seeking to occupy various leadership positions in the next Senate have been busy dragging the name of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, into their schemes for fulfilling their ambitions. We believe those involved in this dirty game are only afraid of the shadow of the Senate President.
“Such people should know that Dr. Saraki is not interested in their plots, schemes and manipulation. His concern now is to continue to provide leadership to the Eighth Senate and to ensure that the Senate achieves as much as it is possible in the remaining two months of its tenure.
“It is obvious that many Senators and even Senators-elect still defer to Saraki. And this is understandable because he is a national leader of the PDP. He is a respected Senator who has also provided solid leadership for the Senate. So, those who are afraid of his influence should find a positive way to deal with that, not sponsoring falsehood in the media.
“Last week, PDP Senators paid Dr. Saraki a visit in his home as a way of encouraging him and in recognition of the personal sacrifice that he has had to make for providing strong and purposeful leadership to the National Assembly, for protecting the independence of the legislature and judiciary, separation of powers, inclusiveness in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Nigeria and working for the creation of a conducive environment for business to thrive. Those who are not sure of their grounds in their quest for Senate leadership are busy putting a spin on that visit.
“Let it be known that no matter the mischief being sponsored by these spineless people, Dr. Saraki knows that it is the duty of all Senators in the Ninth Senate to elect their Senate President and other leaders. Nobody from outside the Senate has such powers. It is also the right of every Senator to aspire to that position as stated by the constitution. He has benefitted from this practice of Senators within the chambers exercising the right. He is conscious of this fact and will not be a party to any plan to seize or interfere with the process of evolving the leadership of the Ninth Senate.
“We therefore urge the APC gladiators and their handlers to leave Saraki out of their schemes and manipulations. They should go and concentrate on how to convince the Senators-elect and ensuring that the election of the next Senate President takes place in a conducive atmosphere with a view to strengthening the institution and making it perform its constitutional roles, without any hindrance,” the caucus stated.
