The national working committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the sharing of positions, particularly the leadership of the senate and the house of representatives.
Recall that the senate president, Mr. Godswill Akpabio and the speaker of the house of representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas had yesterday (Tuesday) announced the names of principal officers of the respective chambers.
The representative of Ekiti central senatorial district, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, was announced as the leader of the 10th senate while Mr. Dave Umahi, representing Ebonyi South, became the deputy senate leader.
Mr. Ali Ndume, representing Borno south, emerged as the senate chief whip while Lola Ashiru, representing Kwara south, became the deputy chief whip.
Akpabio who read the names at the plenary said the appointed principal officers were the consensus candidates of the APC senate caucus.
He also announced Simon Mwadkwon, PDP, Plateau North as senate minority leader; Kamorudeen Olarere, PDP, Osun West, deputy minority leader; Darlington Nwokeocha, LP, Abia Central, senate minority whip, and Rufai Hanga, NNPP, Kano, deputy minority whip.
In the house of representatives, Abbas announced Mr. Julius Ihonvbere, (APC – Edo) as the majority leader; Halims Abdullahi, (APC – Kogi), deputy majority leader, Bello Kumo (APC – Gombe), chief whip; and Adewunmi Onanuga (APC – Ogun), deputy chief whip.
Abbas also read a letter from the minority caucus which detailed the names of their consensus principal officers.
The letter named Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) as the minority leader); Aliyu Madaki (NNPP – Kano), deputy minority leader;, Ali Isah (PDP), minority whip), and George Ozodinobi (LP) Party, deputy minority whip.
Reacting to the nominations as they concern APC lawmakers, the national working committee led by Mr. Abdullahi Adamu said the party decided on the emergence of Akpabio, Abass and their deputies but the remaining officers of the two chambers were yet to be decided.
Adamu who spoke at a meeting with the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), led by its chairman and governor of Imo State, Mr. Hope Uzodinma in Abuja yesterday said he heard the election of the remaining principal officers as a rumour.
He said it is the party’s responsibility to have a say in the choice of the remaining leadership offices, stressing that the NWC under him would not discard the tradition.
“The election of the senate president and deputy senate president, the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker of the house of representatives have been determined and they have now assumed their responsibilities.
“The remaining offices at the two chambers is yet to be done. I had a courtesy call on Saturday from the president of the senate and his deputy. The following day which was Sunday, I received a visit from the speaker and his deputy coming to me for Sallah’s homage.
“But I am just hearing rumours now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and house of representatives.
“The national headquarters of the party or the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of the remaining offices and until we formally resolve and communicate to them in writing which is the normal practice as had been done before we came here, it is not our intention to break away from tradition.
“So, whatever announcement is done either by the president of the senate, deputy senate president, speaker or deputy speaker, is not from this secretariat,” he said. (Sic)
