As scheming for the seat of the 10th Senate Presidency continues to generate tension, the camp of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Jubrin Barau said it has secured signatures of seventy senators-elect out of the 109 in the Red Chamber.
The camp, however, appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) to prevail on other APC senators-elect yet to respect the party’s decision on zoning.
The party had zoned the position of the Senate Presidency to Akpabio from the South-south and Jubrin from the North-west, a development that has continued to generate serious heat from other contenders.
Some of the senators-elect challenging Akpabio’s endorsement are former governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, and former governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu, among others.
Speaking during a visit to the APC NWC Tuesday at the party’s national secretariat, Director General Akpabio/Barau Stability Group, Senator Ali Ndume, said seventy senators-elect have appended their signatures in support of his group.
About 40 senators-elect accompanied Akpabio and Jubrin to the APC national secretariat.
They include; Gbenga Daniel, Ibrahim Gaidam, Solomon Olamilekan, Opeyemi Bamidele, Mohammed Tahir Moguno, Idiate Adebule, Tokunbo Abiru, Ipalebo Harry, Aziz Musa, Titus Zam, Darlington Nwokocha, Neda Imazuen, Asuquo Ekpeyong, Shuaib Salusi, Yemi Adaramodu, Sadiku Oheire, Oyenkachi Nwanba, Sarafadeen Ali, Yuniz Akintunde, Mutari Muhammad, Jim Kuta, Kenneth Eze, Ethan Williams, Emmanuel Demdi, Dekat Plang, Bola Ashiru, Jide Ipinsagba, Wasiu Esinlokun, Howell Eyinsu, Karimi Sunday, Cyril Fasuyi, Isa Jubrin, Salihu Mustapha, Nasiru Sani, Kaka Shehu Lawan, Ndubusi Patrick, Ibrahim Mohammed and Rufai Hangar.
Ndume said: “This is a group of seventy members of Senators-elect of the coming 10th Senate. We are seventy who have supported zoning the Senate Presidency to the South-south. We are here to show solidarity and appreciation.
“Yesterday (Monday) it was 69 when we went to Lagos state, but this morning (Tuesday) coincidentally, a senator from your state (Nasarawa), appended his signature and we are seventy now.
“We are called Stability Group. It came from you (Adamu) and the President-elect that this country needs stability. And this will come from fairness and equity,” Ndume said.
Addressing the Adamu-led NWC, former governor of Akwa Ibom state and the APC endorsed candidate, Senator Akpabio, promised that his leadership as Senate President would bring about stability, put an end to poverty, insecurity and unemployment through legislations, supervision and strict oversight.
Akpabio appealed to the APC national chairman to prevail on other aggrieved senators-elect to support him.
He said: “I want to appeal through you (Chairman) that you talk to some members of APC who have still not supported the party’s decision. When I was young, I was told about three Gs to fear. One is God, then the gun and the government. Both the Bible and the Koran asked us to respect leadership because that is the only way to progress. We urge you to talk to them because that’s the only way to have progress.
“We have interacted with the governor of Lagos, Katsina and even Rivers state governors to tell them about our plans and policies.
“We intend to bring stability, and we intend to make you proud to put an end to poverty, insecurity and unemployment through legislations that will change things through supervision and strict oversight.”
Adamu
Responding, the APC national chairman, Senator Adamu, pleaded for a rancour-free election on the 13th of June.
Adamu also appealed to the senators-elect to move to the Senate Chamber early that day to avoid repeat of former Senator Bukola Saraki-led experience in 2015.
He said: “I’m happy that we are heeding the advice and directives we gave to make consultations and it is good that it’s going on and I’m happy that it’s been very fruitful. We wait till on the 13th of June on the floor of the House. I want us to have a rancour-free election on the floor, because even if everybody says it is Akpabio or Y or X, the rules of the game say there must be election. Those who are in the Senate are aware of the rules.
“On the day of the proclamation by the President and the Clerk makes the proclamation. So I do hope and pray that we will carry the day and be victorious.
“But let me warn, don’t be late. I hope I am communicating. Don’t be late. Once bitten twice shy.”
While thanking the party for the endorsement, Senator Jibrin assured the NWC that his group would continue to be loyal and work for the realisation of Renewed Hope manifesto.
“We assure you that we shall abide by the manifestoes and programs of the party. We want to assure you that we shall continue to be loyal and stand for everything this party stands for, knowing that it is for the good of Nigerians.
“We shall by every means draw the attention of our colleagues who are yet to identify with this endorsement.
“This administration that will be sworn in two weeks by the grace of God will bring unprecedented development to this country,” the lawmaker said.
…Yari insists
Defying the position, however, Senator-elect Yari said the APC zoning formula was in conflict with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) because it is in breach of the federal character principle as enshrined in the constitution.
Yari said the religion balancing rationale behind the APC zoning arrangement was unknown to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the nation’s law book only provides for federal character in sharing of offices for balancing and not religion as a factor.
But, the former governor and one-time member of the House of Representatives, who spoke Tuesday while featuring as a guest on Arise News Channel’s breakfast programme, ‘The Morning Show’, noted that the APC zoning formula for election of presiding officers for the 10th Senate was unconstitutional and unfair to Northern Nigeria as all the heads of the three arms of government will be Southerners.
“I am particularly talking about the APC, if they decide to zone (Senate leadership positions), we ask them a question, on what do you base the zoning? Have you taken the federal character into cognizance, where the President, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the National Assembly chairman, the three arms of government, are in one place?
“The present Chief Justice of Nigeria is from Oyo State; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect is from Lagos State, and Akpabio is from Akwa Ibom State at the same time, while the next Chief Justice of the Federation (Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun) is also going to be from the South-West.
“So, have you ever seen, let’s say since 1960, whether this kind of thing has happened during the Shagari era, coming to Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan? It only happened during Buhari’s time slightly before CJN Onnoghen took over the Judiciary for some time.
“Now it happens that (with APC zoning arrangement), all the three arms of government are in the Southern part of the country. How could that be fair to Northern Nigeria?” Yari queried.
