Northcentral and Northwest compete for the presidency alongside Southeast and Southsouth
SEVEN senators-elect from five geo-political zones have thrown their hats into the ring for the 10th Senate President. All of the candidates are members of the All Progressives Congress, the party in power (APC).
Barau Jibrin (Kano North, Northwest), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North, Southeast), and David Umahi (Ebonyi South, Southeast) have publicly declared their desire to lead the next National Assembly.
The 10th Senate is scheduled to be inaugurated on June 13, following the President’s proclamation of the 10th National Assembly.
Kalu is the current Senate Chief Whip; Jibrin is the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee; and Umahi is the Governor of Ebonyi State and the Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North, Northeast); Senate Services Committee Chairman Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger East, Northcentral); Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South, Northeast); and former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio are among the other senators-elect vying for the position (Akwa Ibom, Southsouth).
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, national chairman of the APC, told candidates for presiding offices to await the party’s zoning arrangement last week.
At a meeting with National Assembly members-elect, the president-elect, vice president-elect, and members of the APC National Working Committee spoke with National Assembly members-elect (NWC).
Jibrin promised to announce his intention to lead the Red Chamber formally within a few days.
Jibrin, the second-highest-ranking senator-elect to make a public declaration of interest, described himself as the most experienced candidate seeking to lead the 10th Senate.
Tuesday, Kalu announced his intention to run for Senate President because ‘it is his turn to be Senate President’
During yesterday’s State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, Governor Umahi hinted that he would run for the position. He urged President-elect Bola Tinubu and the APC leadership to zone the office to the Southeast.
The senator from Kano North, however, dismissed the use of religious sentiments as a criterion for electing the next Senate President, as opposed to competence and track record.
Jibrin, who has been a member of the National Assembly since 1999 and the Senate since 2015, insisted that the Senate Standing Rule gives seniority (rank) and legislative experience precedence over all other factors.
Senator stated, “I intend to run for President of the tenth Senate. In the coming days, I will launch my campaign and make an official announcement.
“The legislature is a separate branch of government that does not function on the basis of feelings, but rather on your ability to get the job done.
“This is a worldwide custom that is also outlined in our rulebook, which is based on our Constitution.
“It is stated in our Standing Rules that candidates for the Senate Presidency shall be elected in accordance with their ranking.
“Among the candidates for the Senate presidency, I am the senator with the highest standing.
“Therefore, it is constitutional, and I have the most experience among those who have declared their intention to run for Senate President.
“The question is one of competence. Prior to assuming the position of Senate President, you must have a solid understanding of the legislative body. Do you now use feelings to compete against competence?”
Jibrin disagreed with claims that having a Muslim Senate President would not bode well for the next APC administration, stating, “Remember that David Mark was a Christian, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, was a Christian, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, was a Christian because they were the most experienced and ranking and that is the tradition, so do we now sacrifice competence for other sentiments?”
“Religious sentiment will not be tolerated. It is a matter of competence, not emotion. Regarding experience, I am the most experienced.”
Jibrin added, “Performance should be rewarded. The Northwest is deserving of producing the Senate president because our region gave the eventual president the most votes.
“We favor a second term for our President. We’ve seen what he’s done in Lagos, and we want him to replicate his success throughout the country.”
Tuesday, Kalu requested that the Senate presidency be zoned to his Igbere, Abia North Senatorial District, Abia State residence.
“The question is whether or not I will run for Senate President,” said Kalu. Yes, I am willing to run for Senate President if the party allots the position to my region.
“If they want to zone, they should zone it to my community so that nobody will contest it against me.” I do not even want them to zone it south… Because it is my turn, I hope Nigerians will pray for me to become the Senate president.”
Umahi urged the party to zone the House of Representatives Speakership to the Northwest.
The governor stated that allocating the two top positions to the Southeast and Northwest will promote equity, justice, and fairness.
He stated that it was time to disregard protocol and rules, adding that the focus should be on salvaging the nation.
Umahi stated, “I implore and request the APC leadership and the president-elect to, for the sake of equity, justice, and fairness, zone the Senate President to the Southeast and the House Speaker to the Northwest.
“This is for inclusiveness, it will guarantee Nigerians a complete reunion, and it will also soothe frayed nerves.
“A miracle occurs when God disregards rules and protocols. I am requesting that the APC leadership and the National Assembly leadership disregard the rules so that we can obtain the most qualified candidates for the national assembly leadership.”
“If the APC family zones the Senate presidency to the Southeast, I’m interested on the basis that I’ve been in public service for 16 years, so it’s fair to say I’m familiar with administration,” he said.
The governor insisted that reserving the position of speaker for the Northwest will calm the nation’s frayed nerves.
He declared Ebonyi to be a complete APC state, noting that the party won almost all National Assembly seats and that the governor-elect and the majority of state legislators are also APC members.
Umahi stated, “When you have administered a state, which is more complex than any other position besides the presidency, I want to run and I beg the National Assembly to change the rules.
“We should strive for excellence. Whoever is elected to the National Assembly is the best, but God should have the final say.” We must elect a government that will rebuild the country. I offer my candidacy without regard to God’s will or the wishes of our party’s leadership, the president-elect and vice president-elect.
(TNT)
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