NASS Leadership: Grumbles, Ripples, Resistance Against Zoning, Escalate
The grumbles and ripples over the choice of Senator Godwill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom, South-south geopolitical zone as President of the Senate and Hon. Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State, North-west zone as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly, are getting louder and becoming discomforting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The leadership of the APC in liaison with the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the selection of Senator Akpabio and Hon. Abbas for the presiding positions of President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
However, the selection has not gone down well with some elected members of the National Assembly on the platform of the APC and opposition parties across the board as some of the Senators-elect are vehement in their resistance of the arrangement which they consider shoddy and without consultations expected in a democratic setting.
The senators-elect are accusing the APC and the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of deliberately trying to foist a fait-accompli on them by tipping Senator Akpabio on them as Senate President thus, vowed to resist such attempts and are therefore determined to pick a presiding officer of their choice as against an imposition.
Some of the Senators-elect who spoke with journalists during the Induction programme of the 10th National Assembly in Abuja on Monday, before the APC position was made public, expressed dissatisfaction at the manner and style adopted in the selection process as if they don’t matter in the choice of their own helmsmen.
However, one of the Senators-elect and outgoing Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, who was a strong advocate of the Southeast producing the Senate Presidency quickly beat a retreat as he explained that Tinubu prevailed on him to drop his Senate presidency ambition for Akpabio.
Umahi, who was elected as Deputy Governor for two terms and Governor for another two terms on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that he left his former party as a result of the short-changed the Southeast zone suffered in spite of its loyalty to the party.
The story is different for Senator Osita Izunaso, a Senator-elect from Imo State on the platform of the APC and one of the contenders for the Senate President’s seat, who holds the strong view that the coveted seat should go to the Southeast geopolitical zone.
Izunaso said; “If you are ever contemplating zoning to the South, it is a natural thing that it should go to the South-East. The zone has been part of the process. South East voted for the APC. If you tell me that the South East did not vote for the APC, I will tell you that you are not saying the truth.
“Despite the pressure on the South East regarding the Peter Obi’s candidature, we were able to deliver six Senate seats and two governors.
“Labour Party has six senators while the Peoples Democratic Party has two. APC members in the Southeast have done exceedingly well. Southeast Senators-elect met yesterday and we are categorical that the office of the Senate President should be zoned to the Southeast in the spirit of justice, equity and balance.
“If we must achieve oneness and unity of Nigeria, the Senate President must be zoned to the Southeast. That is our standpoint and personally, I am not ready to step down for anybody. I’m running for the position of the Senate President,” he stressed.
Speaking in same vein, Senator-Elect Ned Nwoko on the platform of the PDP from Delta North, said that he is in favour of the Senate President seat going to the Southeast in the spirit of oneness, equity and justice.
According to Nwoko; “The defining issue for us is to have an independent National Assembly. We must be independent of the Executive. As an arm of government, we must hit the ground running. We should not have leaders that are imposed on us by the executive. In this case, the issue of Southeast must be taken to account.
“The overwhelming majority of the senators-elect are of the opinion that we must be independent. That is the only way we can take the executive to account. The parliament is not meant to be pocketed by the executive.
“There are some of us that are already well established before we came here. So, are not push overs. We are very independent minded,” he said.
Similarly, Senator-elect on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kano South, Abdulraham Kawu Samaila said; “There is a clear and express provision in the constitution which allows members of the National Assembly to choose their presiding officers amongst themselves irrespective of party affiliation, religious or ethnic considerations.
“Each of us has the qualification to lead the chambers as presiding officers in the National Assembly. It is not a just cause that the Senate Presidency should go to the South because of religion. It is against the constitution and morally it is wrong. It is against the character of democracy.
“We are practicing constitutional democracy and presidential system of government which provides for the National Assembly, Executive and Judiciary.
“The parliament is an independent arm of government. The executive is detached from the parliament and judiciary. Therefore, we are canvassing a situation where we will have true separation of power.
“Let the executive led by Mr President, exercise its power to balance its positions. Let us as the legislature, also exercise our powers. The executive can suggest but it is ours to do what the constitution provides,” he enthused.
Speaking on the zoning arrangement which seems to favour him so far, Senator-elect, Godswill Akpabio, said that he was not worried over alliances between some aggrieved APC aspirants and opposition party Senators=elect.
In his words; “I am not worried at all. It is a normal thing. I always describe politics as a game of concentric circle of conspiracy. I am not worried about anything. I believe strongly that the will of God will be done.
“My colleagues would decide my fate on the floor during the inauguration. The senators-elect would take a decision. The lawmakers would elect the next Senate President. I believe that there should be cooperation between the parties and the lawmakers.
“Once the leadership is put in place, there should be collaboration between the leadership and the Parliament to ensure a smooth administration and we are all mutually dependent on one another while at the same time, exercising our legislative duties and independence,” he said.
Akpabio concluded by saying; “on the whole, I believe that we can only get better as our democracy matures.”
