The All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus has said it was yet to zone the position of deputy senate president of the 9thsenate to the South-south geo-political zone.
In apparent reaction to the statement of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters Senator Ita Enang that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central) had been endorsed for the position of deputy senate president, the caucus said it was not the case.
In a statement signed by Segun Bello and Sunday Umutu in Abuja, the caucus said Senator Enang can neither speak for the APC nor the president since he was no longer Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate).
“Section 151 of the 1999 constitution states that the appointment of all special advisers shall cease when the president ceases to hold office, while Section 171 states that the appointment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and any office or the personal staff of the president shall cease when the president ceases to hold office.
“Therefore, our attention has been drawn to the statement of Senator Ita Enang in an interview in 7.00am news on Radio Nigeria on Wednesday, 5th June, 2019.
“In the interview, Senator Enang stated that Senator Lawan Ahmad will emerge as senate president of the 9th senate, while Femi Gbajiabiamila will emerge as speaker, House of Representatives. He went on to state that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege will emerge as deputy senate president.
“Although, in the interview he was referred to as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, we write to state that he spoke on personal capacity and expressed his own opinion and certainly not in any way the position of the Presidency.
“It should be noted that his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters ceased with the end of the President’s first term on May 29, 2019, as provided in Section 151(3) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
“Therefore, his statement about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege should be seen wholly as figment of his imagination, because he has probably supported him”, the statement said.
