Unconfirmed reports say the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reportedly settled for Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Alhassan Ado Doguwa as the Senate President and speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly respectively.
OsunDaily News reports that those allegedly jostling for the Senate President include, serving Senate President, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North); Sani Musa (APC, Niger East); Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North); Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North); Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West); Deputy Senate leader, Abdul Ningi (APC, Bauchi Central) and Abdul- Aziz Yari (APC, Zamfara);
Others are Governor David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South), Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), Ali Ndume from Borno and Osita Izunaso from Imo State.
Also, those battling to succeed Femi Gbajabiamila as Reps Speaker are Deputy Speaker Idris Wase; Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Aliyu Betara; Chairman, Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi; Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu; Chairman, Committee on Land Transport, Tajudeen Abbas; Chairman, Committee on Disaster Preparedness, Abdulraheem Olawuyi; Chairman, Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli; Makki Yalleman and Sani Jaji.
A source confirmed to Vanguard that the choice of Kalu and Doguwa has also received endorsement by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) over the weekend.
The development also puts to rest long weeks of speculations and permutations over which geo political zones should produce the next Senate President and the speaker of the House.
APC sources, who pleaded not to be mentioned, also said the list was still being kept under wraps by the Abdullahi Adamu-led NWC, adding that Senator Sani Musa’s name from the North Central geo-political zone had also been penciled down for deputy senate president.
Other senators also favoured for principal offices of the Senate include Senator Ali Ndume from the North East as the Majority Leader, Senator Solomon Olamilekan from Southwest zone as Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Aliyu Wamakko from the North West for Chief Whip, while Adams Oshiomhole has been selected for the post of the deputy senate leader, South South.
Muslim-Muslim Ticket
Following intensive deliberations, it was gathered that APC NWC members decided to drop the idea of the emergency of a Muslim Senate President, saying the party had already produced a Muslim President and Vice President-elect but favoured a Muslim speaker in the House of Representatives.
“Although, there have been back and forth arguments on which region should produce the Senate president, our party understands that most of these arguments are valid. However, when you look at the outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the issue of regional imbalance both at the National Assembly and the executive caused a lot problems for his government and our party wants to avoid that beginning with the zoning of the National Assembly leadership positions, especially the Senate presidency going to the Southeast,” one of the sources, an NWC member, said.
Embattled Doguwa
According to Vanguard, Tinubu was waiting for the conclusion of the supplementary elections to know which direction it would go before affirming his position for Doguwa to emerge Speaker.
A source close to Doguwa told Vanguard on Sunday that the majority leader of the House “enjoys a very cordial relationship with Asiwaju,” adding that “Doguwa is very much in the race and will not back down.”
Meanwhile, OsunDaily News reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhasan Ado Doguwa, as the winner of Doguwa and Tudunwada Federal Constituency election.
The Returning Officer, Professor Sani Ibrahim, announced the result at the just concluded supplementary elections held across eight wards in Tudunwada local government.
According to the INEC official, Doguwa scored the highest votes cast of 41,573.
Doguwa, who is reportedly jostling for the House of Representatives Speakership, defeated Yushau Salisu of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) polled 34,831 votes.
Recall that the February 25th election was declared inconclusive in the constituency due to violence and over voting.
Also, the Returning Officer for the election on February 25, Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai, had reported that he announced the result under duress.
Yakasai had initially declared Doguwa the winner but INEC subsequently voided the process.
