JUST IN: NASS Leadership: Buhari Shocks Tinubu, Oshiomhole Over Party Decision
AHEAD of the inauguration of the Ninth Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said he will not interfere in the bid by some lawmakers to challenge the zoning formula of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the leadership positions of the 9th National Assembly.
Mouthpiece NG recall the APC leadership announced the endorsement of Senator Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North) and Femi Gbajabiamila (Surulere 1) as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, for the 9th National Assembly.
The endorsement has however, been challenged by some lawmakers, describing the party’s position as imposition and an attempt to meddle in the leadership selection process of the National Assembly.
In the Senate, the senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, and Danjuma Goje of Gombe Central, have shown interest to contest for the exalted position.
Although Goje is yet to formally declare his ambition despite pressure from his loyalists but there’s report he’s nursing the ambition underground.
In the House of Reps, Idris Ahmed Wase (APC, Plateau), John Dyegh (APC, Benue), Mohammed Umar Bago (APC, Niger) and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC-Abia) are reported to be in race to succeed Speaker Yakubu Dogara against the party’s directive.
Mouthpiece NG also learnt that a third term Rep elect in Oyo state, Hon. Odebunmi Bunvic, Representing Surulere/Ogooluwa is also eying the position.
Some of the APC members-elect, who spoke with Mouthpiece NG correspondent said that given the bitter experience of 2015, they had expected President Buhari to have met all the contenders.
Mouthpiece NG recalls that the current Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, and the majority leader of the house, Femi Gbajabiamilla were endorsed by the ruling APC as its preferred choice for the position of Senate President and Speaker respectively in the 8th leadership but ended up in defeat.
In a bid to avoid the scenario of 2015, many had thought President Buhari as the leader of the party will call the gladiators together and speak with them on the need to respect the position of the party.
However, speaking with journalists through his Senior Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang on Sunday, President Buhari said he will not intervene in the matter as he has devolved powers to the party.
According to Enang, there is no cause for alarm over the leadership positions in the 9th Assembly as the APC is handling the situation well while majority of the lawmakers have promised to abide by the position of the party.
“The president is the leader of the party and the party is handling the situation. The president does not have to speak on every matter. He devolves power which he has done in this case.
“He does not give the power to the party because the power belongs to the party, he is just the leader of the party. So, the party of which he is the leader chaired by the national chairman is handling the situation and is on top of it. The members themselves, both senators and Reps members are very serious stakeholders at the highest level. So, we are relating with them and they have given assurances that they will respect the party’s position”, he said.
A top source in the party who spoke with our correspondent, said there are attempts by some power brokers in the presidency to whittle the influence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, one of the national leaders of the party, who is being speculated to be nursing the ambition of succeeding Buhari in 2023.
According to him, many people believe that after having his protégé, Yemi Osinbajo as the vice president, it will be dangerous for Tinubu to also have his loyalists as the number three and four man in the incoming political dispensation.
“Yes, the party had settled for Lawan and Gbajabiamila but from feelers we are getting, a lot of people in the presidency and APC are not really keen about this. These people are the ones giving hidden support to the likes of Goje and Ndume. They felt with Lawan and Gbajabiamila, Tinubu will be too influential and they don’t want that.
“I believe the issue at stake goes beyond Tinubu or his presidential ambition, if truly he has. 2023 is still far ahead. We need to deal with the present situation which is to have a National Assembly which will be in synergy with the executive arm of government in taking the country to the Next Level. We have traveled this rough, thorny road before and we all came out bruised”, he said.