10th N/Assembly: 7 lawmakers eyeing the senate president’s seat
Politics
10th N/Assembly: 7 lawmakers eyeing the senate president’s seat
On Monday, May 29, 2023, Buhari’s government will come to an end and Tinubu’s administration will be inaugurated.
As the president-elect prepares to take over and oversee the affairs of the country, many legislative members-elect in the senate and house of representatives are also making moves to occupy leadership positions in the national assembly.
As things currently stand, the following seven politicians have shown interest in the senate president’s seat.
Orji Uzor Kalu
The representative of the Abia North Senatorial district, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is one of the politicians seeking to succeed Ahmed Lawan, the incumbent senate president.
The lawmaker said he would like the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the senate presidency to his region, southeast because the president-elect needs people of high character to turn around the economy and work for the masses.
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Kalu believes he is qualified to lead the 10th national assembly because he’s one of the most experienced lawmakers in the 9th assembly.
Jibrin Barau
Senator Jibrin Barau, the lawmaker representing Kano north senatorial district is a fourth timer in the National Assembly. He is currently the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation.
Aside from positioning himself for the topmost office in the national assembly, some APC chieftains have been campaigning for him to be elected as Senate President of the 10th Assembly.
They argued that since the president and vice-president-elect are from southwest and northeast regions respectively, the senate presidency can be zoned to the northwest because the region produced the highest votes for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket.
Godswill Akpabio
The argument for Godswill Akpabio’s senate presidency is anchored on the principle of national unity and fairness.
The former governor of Akwa-Ibom state who is also a former Senate Minority Leader presents himself as one of the experienced and qualified candidates for the seat.
Recently, different groups have adopted and backed Akpabio’s senate presidential ambition.
Dave Umahi
On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi declared his interest in the senate presidency.
The senator-elect for Ebonyi South District wants Tinubu and the APC to consider zoning the position to the Southeast.
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Like Akpabio, Umahi believes zoning the position to his region would be in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.
Ahmad Lawan
The current leader of the 9th national assembly, Ahmad Lawan is again in the race to retain his seat.
The lawmaker representing Yobe North is one of the ranking senators who have been in the red chamber since 2007.
The 64-year-old politician succeeded Senator Bukola Saraki in 2019, but he’s not ready to relinquish the seat for anyone as he vies to remain the leader of the senate till 2027.
Abdulaziz Yari
The former governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari has joined the race for the office of senate president of the 10th assembly.
Yari declared his interest in March 2023, arguing that his region, the northwest gave the APC the highest number of votes in the February 25 presidential election.
Yari will represent the people of Zamfara west senatorial district in the 10th national assembly.
Osita Izunaso
The senator-elect for the Imo west senatorial district, Osita Izunaso has been touted as one of the politicians that are qualified to occupy the senate president’s seat.
Many groups in the southeast have called on the APC and the president-elect to zone the senate presidency to the southeast for Tinubu’s government to achieve ethnic balancing, and inclusiveness.
The groups which back Izunaso argued that the lawmaker is the only one who has served the ruling party as a pioneer National Organizing Secretary.
Politics
Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC
Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC
National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will revisit the leadership crisis in the party by August this year.
This therefore means the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, will remain in the office until the next NEC meeting in August, according to the party.
Bauchi State Governor and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum hinted on Thursday that the party would look into the demand of the North Central for the national championship position then.
He spoke after the NEC meeting at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.
The governor said, “You can see there was no dissension and rancour. It was planned that the party will have an implosion. PDP is more than that, we have given beyond all these. This party is a united party that is guided by experience and constitutionality.
“In the next two months, you will see a lot of activities, leadership is a responsibility, when we will have come out of our congresses, we will look at the issues of leadership. We will look at the constitution and we will do it with no rancor.”
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, also said because of the need for reconciliation the issue of the National Chairman would be revisited in August when another NEC will be expected to take place.
He said, “Our party emphasizes the need for reconciliation and stability within the party at this time. Therefore, the issue of the National Chairman, Amb Iliya Damagum, has been deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15, 2024.”
Politics
Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57
Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57
A top politician, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, has died at the a prime age of 57.
Ibrahim, an ally of former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki, reportedly died early Wednesday morning in a hospital in Abuja.
Newstrends learnt from a family source that Ibrahim died after a brief illness.
Rafiu Ibrahim from Ojoku, Kwara State, was a member of Kwara State House of Assembly in 2009.
He was later elected in April 2011 to represent Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 7th National Assembly.
Ibrahim became a senator in 2015 when he was elected to represent Kwara South Senatorial District.
He however lost his re-election bid into the 9th National Assembly to Lola Ashiru of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.
Politics
PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun
PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun
The lingering leadership crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension on Tuesday as members of the G60 in the House of Representatives led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere truncated plans by lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to endorse Mr Umar Damagun as substantive National Chairman of the party.
Trouble started during the closed meeting convened by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda when Hon. Ugochinyere challenged the Caucus Leader’s presentation.
Hon. Ugochinyere, who flared up during the meeting was seen being persuaded by some PDP lawmakers.
However, before the end of the meeting, members of the G60 group left the hall, thereby leaving about 40 lawmakers in the hall where the press briefing took place.
While speaking on the outcome of the closed-door meeting which lasted for over 3 hours, Hon. Chinda said: “We have just concluded the third meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus of the 10th Assembly and we have resolved firstly to tell all of us and the world that the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives remain united, indivisible committed and out to perform our duty as the watchdog on behalf of Nigerian people.
“In the same vein, we x-rayed the security situation in our country and we resolved that we can no longer take this situation where Nigerian is almost tagged as ‘one life, one minute silence’.
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“The government is therefore called upon to immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalized.
“And the Caucus has also given a three-month ultimatum for government to normalize the security situation in our country. After three months, the Caucus will take further steps to sensitize and mobilize Nigerians to perhaps take their security into their hands.
“The House of Representatives Caucus also agreed to call on all Party Caucuses, the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party to embark on reconciliatory measures with a view to resolving all litigations that are pending and have hindered the party in any way whatsoever from having a substantive National Chairman.
“We call on our leaders, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party is moved to her pride of place where she enjoyed the position of the largest party in Africa and to take back the Aso Villa which is actually supposed to be our birthright.
“And so for us, we are going back as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the Parliament,” he said.
While reacting to the recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, the Minority Leader urged the Senate leadership “to recall our colleague, our senior brother, a veteran politician, a Parliamentarian per excellence, Abdul Ningi.”
Meanwhile, one of the G60 members who gave insight into the discussions during the closed-door meeting confirmed that the hard stance of the group frustrates the grand plan to pass a vote of confidence on the embattled acting PDP National Chairman.
The lawmaker who does not want his name in print said: “We are glad that the plan of the pro-Wike group supporting Damagun falls like a pack of cards, as we refused all entreaties to perpetuate illegality and stoking of crisis in the party.
“Our position remains that Damagun must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.
“Our Party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC.
“This is quite shameful and disheartening. But we won’t fold our hands and let that happen.
“We are aside other demands insisting on 100 percent formation of Caretaker PDP executive list at all levels without any tampering or inclusion of new names outside the earlier resolution that members of the expiring excos should act as Caretaker for 3 months pending the conduct of substantive election.
“Our party will not be overtaken by APC, we are here to serve the Nigerian people not to the whims and caprices of some selfish politicians,” he noted.
PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun
(Nigerian Tribune)
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