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• PDP, LP, NNPP, Northern lawmakers-elect align against ruling party
• President issues proclamation to constitute 10th NASS
From Fred Itua, Abuja
Days to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, there are indications that the consensus proposal of the All Progressives Congress (APC) might have suffered a fresh setback.
Opposition lawmakers-elect from both the Senate and the House of Representatives appear bent on upsetting the apple cart by not aligning with the ruling party and its preferred candidates for the leadership of both chambers.
Leaders of the APC have announced Godswill Akpabio as the party’s preferred candidate for the position of Senate President, while Jibrin Barau got the nod of the party for the position of the Deputy President of the Senate
In the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, was adopted as the consensus candidate for the position of the Speaker. Benjamin Kalu was tipped to be the Deputy Speaker.
However, stakeholders opposed to the micro-zoning of the key leadership positions, said an open contest that will guarantee the independence of the legislature, was a better option.
Some key leaders from the North, led by the President of the 9th Senate, Ahmad Lawan, told President Tinubu to replace Akpabio as the consensus candidate or leave the contest open.
But a defiant President Tinubu, reportedly urged on by two prominent Senators from the South-West, had insisted on the choice of Akpabio.
Other front-runners in the race, namely Orji Uzor Kalu, Osita Izunaso and Abdulaziz Yari, unwilling to throw in the towel, forged an alliance expected to upstage Akpabio.
Sani Musa from Niger State, who is gunning for the position of the Deputy President of the Senate, recently joined the coalition against Akpabio and Barau.
At a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday night, lawmakers-elect from the two chambers of the National Assembly, it was gathered, failed to reach a consensus on the choice of the next Presiding Officers.
Saturday Sun gathered that after the meeting with President Tinubu on Thursday night, both camps have returned to the trenches, with barely three days to the inauguration.
Lawmakers who spoke after the meeting disclosed that the real reason Mr. President invited all of them, including aspirants is to work for the unity of the country.
They stressed that the President “did not voice his support for a particular candidate or asked any lawmaker to step down for the other.”
The lawmakers-elect noted that Tinubu spoke with a joint session of the National Assembly, comprising senators and members of the House of Representatives across all parties, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
One of the members representing Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency in Bauchi State, Adamu Ranga, said the President did not voice support for any of the candidates vying for the Senate or House leadership, adding that he called for a united front.
According to him, “The lawmakers were told to work together to choose good leaders in the 10th National Assembly.
“Mr President spoke to the general assembly both the Senate and the House of Representatives in order to ensure that we have a solid government. Second, he emphasized that he will perform an open-door policy for everybody.
“Whoever wants to see him can see him without any hindrance. And whatever you want to discuss with him, he will give you that privilege to discuss.
“Thirdly, he said we should put our constituency first since we are here to represent them. He mentioned that he wants the Senate and the House to cooperate to elect good leaders.”
On his part, member-elect for Enugu East/Isiuzo Federal Constituency, Prof Paul Nnamchi, told reporters that Tinubu appealed to lawmakers to uphold national interest.
“He didn’t mention anybody’s name to be voted for. Maybe he is appealing, but I didn’t hear anybody’s name,” Nnamchi said.
Lawmakers-elect from the Labour Party also held a meeting in Abuja on Thursday night. Though newsmen were not allowed to attend the meeting, it was learnt that the national leadership of the party told members to work with other opposition parties in both chamber against the anointed candidates of the APC.
National chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure who led the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) said: “We have been having these engagements for quite some time. So, immediately we were elected, we decided to have constant meetings so that we can put ourselves together because we believe that if we have this unity and vote together as a family, it will help us do better as a party.
“It will even help our members-elect to operate better and so, we have consistently held this meeting. We have had four or five of these meetings. Our own presidential candidate (Mr Peter Obi) has been involved in this meeting. You will recall that I have also had the privilege of informing you about the meeting but for tight schedule, you have not been able to join us.
“I recall the last one. I requested you should be available because of the critical decision that we are about to make.
“Where we are right now is that, the National Assembly is at the verge of being inaugurated and leadership is expected to emerge both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
“It will appear as if some of our members are divided along some political lines and so, we have had series of this engagement.
“The last one was on Monday where we resolved unanimously that we are going to make the decision on Friday which is tomorrow or Saturday.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in both chambers, have also reportedly agreed to work with other opposition political parties. National leadership of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has also reportedly aligned with the position of other opposition parties.
Former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and a former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, are among key Northern leaders also leading the campaign against Akpabio’s bid.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has issued a proclamation, sanctioning the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, expected to commence by 10am next Tuesday.
Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambuwal, said lawmakers are expected to come with certain documents before they’ll be eligible for inauguration on Tuesday.
He said only one family member will be permitted to accompany lawmakers-elect to the National Assembly during the inauguration.
