- Orji Uzor Kalu, Dave Umahi Square Up For The Horse Race
By Charles Adingupu
Available historical records show that South Easterners have dominated the number of persons so elected as Senate President since the enthronement of democratic governance in Nigeria.
The renowned late Pan Africanist, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was reputed as the first Senate President. A position he held for few months before replacing James Robertson as Governor General. He, however, emerged as the nation’s first young President when it became a Republic in 1963.
The mantle of the Senate leadership was handed over to late Chief Dennis Osadebay, a Mid Western Igbo still under the platform of the National Council Of Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC). But in 1963, Nwafor Orizu from Nnewi Royal family in Anambra State replaced Osadebay as Senate President. It was during his tenure that Nigeria had coup d’etat, and the army assumed power.
The nation’s political space witnessed an interregnum from the South East dominance of the Senate presidency. The calibre of Joseph Wayas, Iyorchia Ayu and Ameh Ebute created the void for the Igbos’ aspiration to the number three position.
Then came Evan Enwerem, Former Governor of Imo state from Ikeduru. But his tenure was short-lived as the Senate committee investigated him for corruption and was subsequently booted out of office. He was replaced by his compatriot, Chuba Okadigbo from Anambra State who was former Political Adviser and strategist to the then President Shehu Shagari. However, his altercation with the Executive arm, led to his impeachment as he was charged for corruption.
Anyim Pius Anyim emerged as Senate President from Ebonyi State but refused to seek re-election to the Senate due mainly to his consistent brushes with both the Executive arm and the then Governor of his state.
The controversy that ousted Anyim Pius Anyim threw up Adolphus Wabara, PDP from Abia State as the next Senate President in 2003. Though, he served two terms as Senator but only became Senate President at the beginning of his second term. His controversial tenure was short-lived as he was investigated for financial impropriety as several other allegations were made against him including that which said that he accepted a bribe of a whooping sum of $400,000 from the then Education Minister to facilitate the passage of the annual budget in April 2005. However, after intensive pressure, he was compelled to resigned.
Ken Nnamani from Enugu East Senatorial zone was elected to occupy the seat of the Senate President. He was on the seat until the end of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure. Though, he was reported to have had a frosty relationship with the Executive following his recalcitrant posture to President Obasanjo’s purported third term bid.
The baton of the Senate President was moved away from the South Easterners after Ken Nnamani.
Under the emerging political arrangements, the South Easterners may be in a libo if the seat of the Senate President is taken away from them.
It was in realisation of this that the outgoing Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi urged the President Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider the zoning of the Senate President to the South East, adding that that would create a semblance of inclusiveness in his administration.
In the same vein, Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State who is currently Chief Whip in the 9th National Assembly, has made the same request to the President Elect, insisting that he is the most competent for the job.
Political pundits were of the opinion that the horse race to the Senate President were it to be zoned to the South East, the two contenders, Senator Kalu and Governor Umahi remain the best candidate for the plumb job.
