Despite perceived endorsements of Senators Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau for Presidency and Deputy Presidency of the 10th Senate by the President – elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there seems to be no consensus yet. TAIYE ODEWALE reports.
Endorsement of Akpabio and Barau
Perceived endorsements of aspirations of Senators Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom Northwest) and Jibrin Barau (Kano Central) for Presidency and Deputy Presidency of the 10th Senate by the President – elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, came to the fore in Port harcourt last week during projects commissioning by Tinubu.
Precisely, at dinner night organised for Tinubu by the Rivers State Government, Akpabio along with Barau, were flanked by many other Senators – elect as a way of solidarity and massive support.
Rejection of the perceived endorsements by Senators-elect from South East
First to kick against the perceived endorsement of Akpabio and Barau for President and Deputy President of the 10th Senate, came from Senators-elect from South East on Sunday in Abuja.
The Senators-elect in a communique issued at the end of emergency meeting held at the Maitama residence of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah posited: “We have observed with dismay the antics of persons with vested selfish interests who have planted themselves around the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and have vowed to shut out the Southeast from the Presidency of the 10th Senate.
“Beyond ethnic and religious considerations, in the forthcoming 10th Senate, the Southeast has been blessed with ranking Senators-elect Including members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who have the cranial capacity, competence, influence, experience and political followership to pilot the affairs of the Red Chamber, it becomes imperative that the All Progressives Congress upholds the principle of natural justice and equity which it preaches founded on reasons and zone the seat of Senate President to the Southeast region.
“That the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should extend the same democratic opportunity he received from the outgoing administration which gave all aspirants equal opportunity to exercise their fundamental and constitutional rights during the APC presidential primaries.
“He should be conscious of the grave implications of zoning and endorsing a candidate from the South-South without any regard for the Southeast, such move will no doubt serve as a recipe for Injustice which will culminate to restiveness.
“We implore the President-elect to be sensitive to the times in Nigeria and ensure the country continues to thrive on the party of equity, unity and fairness to the tripod of Nigeria (Hausa Igbo Yoruba) and the geopolitical zones.
“The country is already divided amongst ethnic and religious lines due to the exclusion of the Southeast region, which formed the major reason the APC received the amount of votes from the Southeast. The incoming Administration of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu must correct this anomaly by ensuring that the Southeast is given the opportunity to produce the next Senate President.
“With the side-lining of the Southeast from producing the Presidential candidates of the major political parties before the general elections, the only means through which the zone can be compensated and given a sense of belonging is for the zone to produce the next Senate President as this will restore confidence of the people from the South-east and South- south geo-political zones and indeed all Nigerians in the unity of the country.
“The APC must rise above primordial and political interest and shun the winner takes all syndrome and pursue ethno-religious inclusivity and a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic nation.
“Mr President-elect, how would an average Igbo man feel after he sees evidence of total discrimination. The South East have been denied the chance of producing the president of Nigeria since 1966. The South South has produced President for six years and also had Deputy Senate President In the outgoing administration. The only zone in the South that has not been favoured is the South East. The outcry of marginalization by the South East and the entire Igbo should be addressed by your incoming administration rather than aggravating it. The South West has President, the North East has Vice President. It is only position at the moment that can assuage the Southeast, to give them the chance to be the President of the 10th Senate.
“On this note we have collectively resolved to support Southeast aspirants of the APC. We remain committed and have since expanded negotiations with other well-meaning Senators-elect to rally round the Southeast to ensure that justice, fairness and unity of the country prevails”.
Voices of supports from non – serving Senators
However, twenty hours after, former Senators from the second republic to the present republic, threw their weights behind perceived endorsements of Akpabio and Barau at a meeting held in Rockview Hotel and also called on other contenders like Senators Abdulaziz Yari, Osita Izunaso, Orji Uzor Kalu, Sani Musa etc, to back out of the race.
Communique issued by the none serving Senators after the meeting convened by Senator Basheer Lado read: “We, in the spirit of equity, fairness, political expedience and following extensive consultations with stakeholders, hereby express our total support for the zoning of the position of the President of the 10th Senate, to the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria.
“We also affirm our unfettered support for the position of the President of the 10th Senate who also doubles as the Chairman of the National Assembly to be conferred on His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON.
“The position of Senate President represents the third position in hierarchy of our current democratic dispensation.
“This position carries considerable weight in discharging vital constitutional responsibilities and for charting the right course for our national development.
“It is also important that the holder of such a position enjoys the confidence and support of the party leadership and that of his peers as Senator Godswill Akpabio undoubtedly does.
“With this same spirit of fairness, we also affirm our solid support that the position of Deputy President of the 10th Senate be conceded to Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jubril, CON, representing Kano North Senatorial Zone, Kano state.
“It is our conviction that a diverse and united legislative leadership is critical to good governance.
“At a trying period in our nation’s political history, the National Assembly requires experienced and level headed leaders at the helm of its affairs.
“In view of the above, we wish to respectfully appeal to all other aspirants to these key positions to kindly support our position by withdrawing their respective bids.
“We believe that their withdrawal and cooperation will reduce the acrimony that commonly characterises the jostle for power in the National Assembly amongst the geo-political zones.
“This will go a long way in ensuring a peaceful and smooth take-off of the incoming administration”.
Voices against
But hours after open supports shown by non – serving Senators, a group rooting for Presidency of Hon Abdulaziz Yari in the 10th Senate, under the aegies of Good Governance Initiative ( GGI), issued statement to denounce their position.
Statement signed by the National President of the group, Kunle Sanusi reads: “Call made by non – serving senators on other contenders for Presidency of the 10th Senate to step down for Akpabio and Barau was undemocratic and uncalled for in a constitutional democracy.
“These were people who functioned as lawmakers at the highest level of this country previously. They ought to understand fundamental rights of individuals as enshrined in the constitution. They ought to understand constitutional democracy like ours. Many of them on the list once championed the independence of the parliament. So, what has changed?
“The best answer to the question is double standard on their part, for their selfish gains. However, His Excellency Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari will exercise his rights within the confines of the Senate Standing Rule and the 1999 Constitution as amended. He can’t be intimidated by this kind of gang-up since the former Senators have no voting rights on the floor of the Senate on one hand.
“On the other hand, Senator Godswill Akpabio was part of the PDP Senators who voted for a Senate President to ensure the independence of the legislature in 2015. Now he has changed, he want to be handpicked and not emerged through a democratic exercise. That tells you the kind of Senate President they want to install on the 10th National Assembly.”
Aside different groups supporting or kicking against the perceived endorsements, individual Senators interviewed at the ongoing induction programmes they are attending, also expressed divergent views on who will be the President or Deputy President of the 10th Senate.
Whether there will be consensus or not on the presiding officers’ positions of the 10th National Assembly before inauguration in June, time will definitely tell.
