By Chinelo Obogo
With the election of the Senate President and deputy over, attention has shifted to the election of the principal officers who will run the affairs of the upper legislature.
To a large extent, many do not expect the emergence of principal officers to raise much dust.But that is happening at the moment. Key senators are jostling for the offices.
The office of the majority leader is attracting more interest among the lawmakers. That should be expected . In terms of ranking it is only lower to senate president and the deputy . Like the two key offices , the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has a say on the zone that should occupy the position.
At the moment, tmany political stalwats believe it should go South East, at least for the sake of justce . The zone was overlooked by bthe party in the zoning arrangent for the senate president and the deputy. The decision didnt enjoy applause from many quaters .
The senate presidency was keenly contested between Senator Godswill Akpabio and Abdul’Azis Yari, both former governors of Akwa Ibom and Zamfara States. Akpabio emerged the president of the 10th Senate, polling a total of 63 votes against Yari’s 46 votes. Barau Jibrin (Kano North) emerged deputy senate president.
Though the party has not officially made its stance known on the election of a majority leader, the South East caucus has held several meetings on strategies to ensure one of them is elected majority leader and are lobbying other relevant stakeholders within the party hierarchy. Among the top contenders for the position if it is micro zoned to the South East are former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Osita Isunazo (Imo West) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South). Daily Sun also gathered that Ali Ndume (Borno South) and Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) are interested in getting the position. It is doubtful if they have the support of other senators from their respective zones.
However, the push for the South East to get the position is getting stronger and a source who is part of the negotiations said that, this past week, there have been a few meetings held by the South East caucus and that they are united in their quest to ensure that the zone gets the majority leader position. “We are reaching out to stakeholders to push for this. It is only fair that the position is micro zoned to the South East to give them a sense of belonging. We are backing Kalu for the office. Umahi is not a ranking member, so, it would be difficult to make a case for him. At the end of the day, it may be down to Kalu and Isunaso .
“Those making a case for Kalu are reminded that besides the fact that he is a ranking member, he was the Chief Whip in the ninth assembly and performed very well. In 2019, he dropped his ambition to contest for the deputy Senate President of the ninth Senate after the APC announced its support for Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central). He not only stepped down, citing party loyalty, he endorsed Omo-Agege, saying that he would always abide by the decision of the party. He was later to emerge the Chief Whip. This shows that he is a loyal party man,” the source said.
Micro zoning position of majority leader to South East’ll be symbolic –Chekwas Okorie
Former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorie told Daily Sun that it is very important that the South East is given a sense of belonging and not be excluded or given the ‘five percent’ treatment as was done by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said even though positions of the senate and deputy senate presidency have been won, it would show that the APC is accommodating of the South East, as already, he said the Igbos share the belief that they are being marginalised.
He also said that at the National Assembly level, it is the senate president that would be calling the shots, so, Akpabio should also see to it that those from the South East are not alienated.
“Giving the position of the majority leader to the South East is symbolic in the sense that it will give a sense of accommodation at the highest level of the National Assembly leadership because these are the principal officers. After the senate president, you have the deputy senate president and the next in line is the majority leader. It is symbolic if it is given to the South East, I don’t see anything that is so rewarding, except to the individual that is so appointed and I also don’t think that it will be sufficient to assuage the feeling of alienation that is already pervading the people of the South East, especially political leaders who read meanings into such things.
“In one of the national dailies, the current president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, was cautioning President Bola Tinubu, not to follow in the footsteps of former President Muhammadu Buhari in the five percent consideration that his administration gave to the South East and he is not saying that for nothing. He is reflecting the mood of the people. The signs are not good and I will join Iwuanyanwu in advising the president to be more accommodating of the Igbo people.
“At the National Assembly level, it is basically the senate president that would be calling the shots, so, he should also see to it that our people are not alienated because any person who doesn’t accept that the Igbo people are easily the largest single ethnic group in Nigeria is not getting it right. There is no state in Nigeria where the Igbo people do not make up to a minimum of at least 25 percent of that population. There is no other tribe that can boast of that type of spread and number, not to talk of then number we have in the core south east states in Nigeria. So, if that type of number and spread is ignored, it could also be mobilised for political consequences. What has happened is that because of the republican nature of the Igbo, they have concentrated more in their businesses and other personal efforts they use to improve their lives in spite of what the government is thinking of them.
“I can tell you without being immodest and the Bureau of Statistics can verify this, that the per capita income of the average Igbo man is about two to four times the per capita income of others. So, when you have people who are so hardworking and are very critical to the economy of the country, there is no political wisdom in ignoring people like that. We are not too crazy about who is president, but it is how the president treats us that is the concern. If Nigeria has a level playing field for people to embark on enterprises without complaints, I don’t think that the Igbo man would be spending too much energy as to who is president and who is not.
“All over the country, anywhere you see an Igbo man begging on the streets, investigate and you will see that there is likely something wrong with him. The
An academic , Dr Clement Bassey backed those clamouring that the South East should be given the chance to produce the senate majority leader . He said ‘ I think this country must pay attention to justice in everything we do . We are where we are today because we do not carew about fairness and justice. South East should be ignored by those making decisions on appointments and zoning offices .
He stressed, “Dr Kalu has all it takes and should be considered. My zone was given the presidency of the chamber, I think Kalu who fought for the position should be considered. He has been in APC and has done well in supporting the party.
A group, Transparency in Politics, shares the position of Bassey. in a statement signed by its coordinator, Dr Patrick Shaibu said APC has not reason to snub South East in the zoning of Majority leader.
‘We call on the leadership of our APC to carry every zone along in the sharing key offices in the senate and House of Representatives. It should not do things thgat would further drive some zones aways. Since they micro zoned the Senate President and deputy to some individuals, they should micro zone the the majority leader office to Kalu. With that the party can firmly say it is for every zone.”