There were indications yesterday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have settled for consensus in picking a Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
Apparently unsettled by the growing number of aspirants enlisting for the Senate presidency and Speakership of the 10th National Assembly, LEADERSHIP gathered that the governing party might present preferred choices for the top jobs of the federal legislature.
This was part of deliberations at a meeting of APC national working committee (NWC) held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday.
National chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, told journalists after the meeting that the party’s leadership is employing all skills in persuasion to reach some level of consensus on the next leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
Adamu however noted that the party will consult widely, especially with the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, taking a decision on zoning of principal offices of the National Assembly.
Asked whether the issue of zoning was addressed at the NWC meeting, Adamu said, “That is not what today’s meeting is all about. When we do the zoning meeting – and we don’t just go alone as a party, zoning is to take along the person who has the mandate of this country, the president-elect, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinibu. We want to take him along. He travelled after the election and he came back only last week and we have to carry him along.
“And we cannot stop those who are ambitious or zoning interest, or individual interest. We cannot deny them and as long as that is there. We have to find a way, persuasively, of reaching some level of consensus. That is what we are working on. It is not a one-day affair.”
But a source at the meeting told our correspondent last night that to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2015, the NWC weighed certain options, including the much expected zoning of the Senate president and Speakership positions.
In the event where zoning may appear not to be a definite stance, the APC leadership, the source said, “considered the idea of consensus which would give Senators-elect and members-elect a clear cut direction on the party’s preferred choices.
“Don’t forget that even after APC had in 2015 tipped Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the party’s choice was jettisoned by members who went ahead to pick Yakubu Dogara as Speaker. The fear now is that zoning the offices alone without narrowing to particular individuals as preferred choices may spell disaster for the ruling party, especially with the army of aspirants springing up every day”, the source who did not want his name in print hinted.
It was further learnt that the NWC resolved at the meeting to meet with members-elect of the National Assembly to persuade them to back only candidates endorsed by the party leadership.
Opposition Members-elect Form Coalition To Produce Speaker
But while the governing APC is considering suitable options for producing the next leaders of the National Assembly, members-elect from opposition political parties, numbering about 180, have formed a coalition to elect the next Speaker and deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The members-elect assured Nigeria=ns that the coalition would end APC’s eight years of misrule.
The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Young People Party (YPP).
In a communique issued after their meeting yesterday, the “minority caucus” vowed to end the eight-year “misrule” of the APC.
The communique was signed by the conveners, including Fred Agbedi (PDP), Abdulmumin Jibrin (NNPP), Gaza Gbefwi (SDP), Dennis Agbo (LP), Idris Salman (ADC), Agbodike Pascal (APGA), Chinwe Nnabuife (YPP), amongst others.
They said, “To Contest the office of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representative of the National Assembly.
“Produce credible and acceptable candidates that would vie for those offices, and then actively seek the unification of Nigerians along ethno-religious lines.
“The greater majority with more than 180 elected members (being over 50 per cent of the elected members) will remain one indivisible coalition during the 10″ National Assembly, with the interest of the country as its driving force.
“That the greater Majority of the 10th National Assembly will be continually guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the collective interest of Nigerians being its major concern.
“To assure Nigerians not to lose hope due to the country’s current unpleasant situation, including the disunity plaguing the nation, which is the direct consequence of APC’s misrule and that the Greater majority of the incoming 10th National assembly will remedy these problems as a matter of priority.
“The Great majority will continue to unify the coalition of opposition parties so that it can be an effective check on the ruling party to safeguard the rule of law.”
In the just-concluded elections, the APC secured over 170 of the 360 seats in the green chamber, the highest by any party, while, the PDP came second with over 100 seats, LP with over 35 seats, and the NNPP with about 20.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and his loyalists have resolved to go ahead with their support for the chairman, House Committee on Land Transport, Abbas Tajudeen (APC, Kaduna State) to win the race for the speakership of the 10th House.
Multiple sources who confided in our correspondent noted that while the strategy was to mobilize members-elect to support the preferred candidate of the APC, the hidden plan is to strengthen their support for Tajudeen who,\ eventually may emerge as the party’s choice.
This is just as the majority leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano State) officially joined the race to contest for the coveted position.
Doguwa’s expected entry into the race, however, did not change the plans to support Tajudeen who is from the same North West Zone with the House Leader.
The Gbajabiamila’s team masquerading as a multi-party forum of the eight political parties on Tuesday pledged to work with the majority APC on the zoning of the Speaker and leadership of the House.
Tagged “Joint Task – 10th Assembly”, the political parties that make up the forum are the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Young Progressive Party (YPP).
Speaking during the inauguration of the forum, its chairman, Hon Usman Bello Kumo, said the issue at stake was the leadership of the incoming 10th House.
Kumo said they do not have any preferred candidate for the office of Speaker and deputy Speaker.
Nevertheless, Doguwa, who is the oldest serving member from the North West zone in the House and the leader of the North West APC caucus in the House, recently got reelected for the fifth term.
Speaking yeserday in Abuja during his public declaration, the veteran legislator promised to be the Speaker that would see through the implementation of the Renewed Hope 2023-Action Plan for a Better Nigeria anchored by President-elect Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Doguwa listed his mission as follows: “To strengthen the role of Parliaments towards effective representation while restoring the public confidence and participation in governance by way of facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating strategies for public involvement in governance and government business.
“To ensure that the House conducts its business in a transparent and accountable manner, where every member of the House is held responsible and accountable by the people he represents.”
Flanked by some House of Representatives Member-elect, Doguwa noted that he had consulted widely and had been approached by many Nigerians mostly his colleagues who urged him to declare his intention to contest.
“They believe I am among the qualified candidates for the job, not just because I am deserving, but because I have the capacity and experience to deliver on the expectations of millions of Nigerians who believe that our democracy must be led by competent and experienced leaders.
“I am a strong and committed party man and have stated it categorically clear in other fora that because of my absolute loyalty to the party, and my unflinching respect for party supremacy, my ambition will be predicated only on the condition that the party zones the speakership position to the Northwest Zone which is my immediate constituency.
“I have realised that it is necessary to heed the call of the people who believe in my capacity to seek the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. I am committed to working with my colleagues and all Nigerians to deliver on their expectations and to preside over the house to the best of my ability in the overall interest of the people.”
He further said he had paid his dues to the APC and deserved to be rewarded with overwhelming support by the party.
The lawmaker continued: “I have paid my dues; it is time to reward my stewardship to both the parliament and the nation. Kindly permit me to take you a little down memory lane. In 2011-2015, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had a majority in the house and controlled the leadership in that dispensation while Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila was nominated by the Southwest Caucus as their Minority Leader.
“From 2015-2019 when our party the All-Progressive Congress APC had a majority in the house, it was only natural that the minority leader would transition to Majority Leadership position. If you will recall then, the moment this convention was proposed, I personally agreed to step down from the Majority Leader position which I was earlier tipped for and settled for the Chief Whip position to give room for Rt. Hon Femi Gbajiabiamila to assume the position of Majority Leader.
“Fast forward to 2019-2023 9th Assembly, in keeping faith with the convention of the house, when the Speakership position was zoned to the Southwest, it was only natural that my brother and good friend Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila the then Majority Leader was the only one adopted for the Speakership position, the rest is now history.
NASS Leadership: Tinubu Asks APC Governors To Work With Party NWC
“My dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, there is a lot to learn from this brief narrative. Our superlative Speaker has been in the house since 2003 till date and rose through the ranks to become what he is today. We cannot sweep under the carpet the cognate legislative experience, requisite parliamentary background and interpersonal relationship with his colleagues developed and nurtured over his almost 20 years sojourn in the house as being manifested in his leadership style and prowess in the 9th Assembly.”
He promised to leave no stone unturned to galvanize the support of the House to ensure the actualization of the laudable programs and policies of the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration if given the opportunity to lead the 10th House of Representatives.
If elected speaker, Doguwa promised to lead a House that is committed to promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability in all legislative processes.
“My tenure will rekindle hope, answer many unanswered questions, and uphold all the ideals that this House is charged by the Constitution to preserve and protect. I will ensure justice for all, domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare of all members, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity so that children born today and those yet unborn will live into the next century and our decisions will determine their future,” he added.
NWC Moves To End Leadership Crisis, Asks Lukman To Withdraw Suit Against Adamu, Omisore
Meanwhile, the APC NWC yesterday began moves to save the party from the ongoing crisis that is threatening to tear the party apart.
Accordingly, the NWC members pressurized national vice chairman (North West), Salihu Lukman, to apologise over his media tirade against the national chairman, Adamu, and withdraw the case he instituted in court against party.
LEADERSHIP recalls that Lukman had dragged the national chairman and the national secretary to court over alleged breach of constitution, including failure to convene NEC meeting and give account of the party’s finances.
Lukman is asking the court to compel the Adamu-led NWC to convene meetings of the party’s statutory organs and render financial account.
At the NWC meeting yesterday, the party leadership warned that it will no longer condone any act of indiscipline from any member of the APC, no matter how highly placed he might be.
Briefing journalists after the party’s NWC meeting at its national secretariat, Abuja, national vice chairman (North East) of the party, Salihu Mustapha, hinted that his North West counterpart, Lukman, apologised to Adamu,’ and agreed to withdraw his court case against the party.
Mustapha said, “We are here to intimate you with the proceedings of the National Working Committee and consultations with our brother, the National Vice Chairman North West, Comrade Salihu Lukman, on issues you are aware of, like the legal case he initiated and some other publications credited to him.
“We are able to reach the resolution that his suit is going to be withdrawn and unconditionally he has tendered his apology for any seeming embarrassment his suit and publications may have caused.
“We want to affirm the fact that we are one indivisible committee, that we would continue to work together as an ideal working committee of the ideal party.
“We want to reiterate the fact that this party will not condone indiscipline whereby one or two people of one organ that is not qualified will just sit and said they have suspended or expel one of our members. A case study is what happened in the South- south.
“This party will not tolerate it. We are looking into investigating the matter and we will ensure that we bring to book all individuals or organs which brought these irregularities without following our constitution.”
Also speaking on the outcome of the meeting, national publicity secretary of the party, Felix Morka, said a committee has been set up to resolve the leadership crisis once and for all.
He noted: “Amongst all of the issues discussed at the meeting, we looked at some internal and domestic house-keeping matters with a colleague (Lukman) who has expressed his concerns about something he believes the party should be doing.
“We deliberated completely about it. And as we speak, a committee that was set up to complete that conversation is in progress right now. So, there is a meeting that is going on that I am supposed to be part of to fully rectify that discussion and offer final recommendations on that subject.
“But I am happy to report as the Chairman just indicated. The party stands completely united behind the leadership of His Excellency, the National Chairman of our party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. And we are all standing together. Our colleague who has concern is being looked into. And I think in due course, we will have very specific conclusions of those discussions. We are good on this question.”
