The announcement of Majority Principal Officers of the 10th National Assembly received the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, sources have revealed.
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 All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu had slammed the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives for announcing the names of principal officers without getting clearance from him.
But a source close to the Presidency told The Guardian that President Tinubu was privy to the zoning and appointments of the principal officers.
The source said: “I can confirm to you that President Tinubu was consulted by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, about the appointments before the Sallah holiday. However, I am surprised that the national chairman of the party is claiming ignorance of it. I am sure the matter will be sorted out. It is an internal matter.”
NEC Meeting
It was gathered that the president is plotting to take over the control of his party by installing loyal and trusted allies.
Ahead of the July 10 and 11 meetings of APC National Caucus and the long-awaited National Executive Committee (NEC), there are feelers within the party that the plot to oust Adamu is thickening by the day.
According to sources, the crucial sessions of the two statutory organs of the party will be attended by President Tinubu, his deputy, Kashim Shettima, former President Buhari, past and present APC governors, as well as former and current Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives, National Working Committee (NWC) members and other party stakeholders.
Presidential List
Meanwhile, the Senate Majority Leader, Bamidele, has denied claims that the principal officers emerged from a list delivered from the Presidency.
Speaking to the Press Corps after the plenary on Tuesday on behalf of the other principal officers, Bamidele said presiding officers emerged without rancour in a manner that was transparent and democratic.
He said after the election of the Senate President and his Deputy, the emergence of the remaining presiding officers was not an issue to be decided by members, rather it was an issue that needed to be decided among the critical stakeholders of the party, which include members of NWC as well as those already elected into office in the two arms of Government.
He said: “With regards to the minority, again it was not entirely a party affair, because it wasn’t a typical situation where you have one opposition party, rather six opposition political parties were involved and 50 of our colleagues were also involved. So, rather than it being a decision to be taken at by political parties, it was more of a decision taken by members who were elected on the platform of the six minority parties.
“Thirty-eight of the minority senators, by virtue of their clear signatures, took a decision as to who their leaders will be and of course, this was also communicated to their respective political parties and as democrats, all the presiding officer could do was to follow suit because more than a simple majority, an overwhelming majority, had decided.
“With 26 signatures, we have a simple majority out of 50 senators elected on the platform of the opposition political parties, clearly 38 of them signed and again it was a very clear cut situation and we thank God both ways it was devoid of rancour.”
