Sources have revealed that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adamu Abdullahi, was informed about moves to name Opeyemi Bamidele, David Umahi, Ali Ndume and others as majority leaders of the National Assembly.
It was gathered that the Presidency and APC governors were also in support of the principal officers of the Senate and House of Representatives announced on Monday.
OsunDailyNG recalls that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had named principal officers to include Opeyemi Bamidele as Senate Leader, Deputy Leader David Umahi, Chief Whip Ali Ndume, Deputy Whip Lola Ashiru, Minority Leader Simon Mwadkwon, Deputy Minority Leader Oyewunmi Olalere, Minority Chief Whip Darlington Nwokeocha and Deputy Minority Whip Rufai Hamga.
Also, For the House of Representatives: House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, Deputy House Leader Abdullahi Halims, Chief Whip Usman Kumo, and Deputy Whip Adewunmi Onanuga.
Speaking to journalists before a meeting with APC governors, Adamu slammed the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives for announcing the names of principal officers without getting clearance from him.
But an investigation by The Nation showed that the Senate leadership presented the list of principal officers to Adamu on Sunday for his support during a meeting with him on his farm in his hometown Keffi, Nasarawa State.
However, his alleged delay in sending a notice to the National Assembly on the list of principal officers created tension.
It was gathered that for more than five hours on Monday, Senators and members of the House of Representatives waited in vain for Adamu to sign and send a notification letter to the National Assembly.
Adamu was, however, angry because Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass did not wait for him to sign an official letter on the lawmakers’ choices.
A top source said: “The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House consulted widely. The governors and respected party leaders were involved in designing the power-sharing formula.
“After building consensus, the Senate President on Sunday led the new principal officers to Keffi for Adamu’s information and blessing.
“We still have the evidence of the photos taken on the farm. We do not know where Adamu was coming from in criticising the decision at the secretariat yesterday when he had the opportunity to raise objections with the leadership of the 10th National Assembly. He didn’t make any observations on Sunday.
“The slow process of notifying the National Assembly resulted in suspicion and tension. The APC National Secretary Sen. Iyiola Omisore on Monday signed the notice to the lawmakers but the letter couldn’t be forwarded because Adamu was yet to counter-sign.
“To prevent the opposition from presenting its list of officers ahead of APC, the Senate and the House leadership opted to act faster by unveiling the principal officers.
“Adamu believed the National Assembly ought to respect him and work at his pace.”
Sources also revealed that the presidency, APC governors and some party leaders participated actively in arriving at a “win-win” formula.
“The National Assembly has the backing of the Presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum on the harmonised list of principal officers.
“The APC caucuses in the National Assembly amicably agreed on the list of the principal officers and no one can stop it.
“Even when there were issues with Sen. Ali Ndume as the second-ranking Senator after Dr Ahmad Lawan, Senators prevailed on the Borno South Senator to accept to serve under Sen. Bamidele. Ndume bowed to pressure and accepted to be Senate Chief Whip.
“As the party’s national chairman, Adamu cannot overrule the decision of the APC caucuses in the Senate and the House of Representatives. There is no provision in the APC Constitution giving him such power,” another top source added.
