Attention shifts to the National Assembly, as the much awaited inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly and election of Presiding Officers will hold on Tuesday, June 11.
Seven candidates are vying for the position of Presiding Officers in the incoming Ninth Senate.
Breakdown of the figure shows that while two lawmakers-elect are contesting for the position of Senate President, five others are jostling for the seat of Deputy Senate President.
The two aspirants for the position of Senate President include Ahmad Lawan (North East- Yobe) and Ali Ndume (North East – Borno).
In the same token, the five Deputy Senate President aspirants include: Francis Alimikhena (South South – Edo), Kabiru Gaya (North West- Kano), Ovie Omo-Agege (South South – Delta), Orji Uzor Kalu (South East – Abia) and Robert Boroffice (South West – Ondo).
While the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has micro-zoned the position of Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to Lawan, Femi Gbajabiamila and Ahmed Wase respectively, the zoning of Deputy Senate President position has remained a subject of controversy.
This comes at a time there are growing concerns in some parts of the country over lopsided appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari.
A political pundit, Emmanuel Adelaja condemned the APC-led government for treating the South East like second class citizens, adding that this will create a feeling of disenchantment amongst people from the geopolitical zone.
“They are left with the crumbs of appointment to pick up. It doesn’t give them a sense of belonging to the Nigerian state. And it is an unfair and imbalance power arrangement in a multi ethnic and multi religious society like Nigeria. It leaves you with a feeling of being left out,” he told BDSUNDAY in an exclusive interview.
However, Kalu insisted that he will run for the position of Deputy Senate President, regardless of the governing party’s stance on the matter.
Speaking on Channel’s Television’s Sunrise Daily, Kalu said this would give South East a sense of belonging.
According to him, giving the Southeast a worthy position is in line with ensuring that the nation is ruled with equity.
“Let me be honest with you even if the party ask me not to run, I will run on the floor of the House, this is one position I have to run for because you cannot leave the South East alone, you can’t leave them behind.
“We are in the process of doing the right thing and the East will be given a place in the scheme of things. I am asking that the East should be given the Deputy Senate president. There is a high level of discussions about that and I’m sure that by partisan it would be a law in the House,” he said.
It was also observed that APC senators-elect are not keen on who gets the deputy senate president seat as all eyes are on the Senate President position.
For instance, when our correspondent tried to get the views of some senators-elect at the unveiling of Lawan’s proposed Legislative Agenda for the Ninth Senate in Abuja on Friday, they were evasive with their answers.
While Ifeanyi Uba (YPP, Anambra) could not give a definitive answer when asked by our correspondent, another lawmaker-elect, Uba Sani, said: “I don’t know about the Deputy Senate President. I know that a lot of candidates at this moment are more concerned about who is going to be the Senate President. If we resolve that, the rest probably will not be a difficult issue. We will come to that. And I know when we reach the bridge we will cross it”.
Analysts have attributed the development to the inability of the governing APC to show direction. However, sources say this is deliberate in order not to negatively affect Lawan’s chances.
In an exclusive interview with BDSUNDAY, National Chairman of Actions Peoples Party (APP) and Spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Party (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, lamented that this would alienate the people of the South East.
He said: “It is because of the leadership insensitivy on the part of the President that he will do an arrangement that excludes the South East and North Central and doesn’t care about it. There is no basis where you have the Vice President and the Speaker from the same region. The Vice President is Tinubu’s nominee and you bring a Speaker that is being nominated by Tinubu.
“Apart from the imbalance that comes with it, this will further isolate the people from the South East. But we are looking at the credibility of the candidate the President is bringing. A man that had been convicted for dishonest act in the State of Georgia and then a man that says he is fighting corruption is bringing him. Can’t you see that the President is just being funny with his fight against corruption?
“As I speak you you now, there is a new development. The Deputy who is running as Deputy Speaker to Gbajabiamila has violated the Code of Conduct Act. He has companies which he awarded constituency projects to. He awarded them to his wife and children.
“It is against national unity and creates more division in the country and the choice is also morally and constitutionally wrong”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
