By Ayo Yusuf
Following the controversy generated by the statement from the APC chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu that the principal officers of the National Assembly were chosen without the party’s knowledge, the Progressive Governors’ Forum has decided to wade into the matter and stop the crisis from snowballing.
This is coming barely a day after the Senate President and the Speaker announced the consensus choices for the positions of Majority Leader, Majority Whip and their deputies in both chambers.
The Ekiti Central lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele had emerged as l Senate Majority Leader and Senator Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) as his Deputy while Ali Ndume (Borno South) was named the Chief Whip, and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as the Deputy Whip. Similarly, the House of Representatives have announced the names of its principal officers as follows: Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (Edo) as the House Majority Leader and Rt. Hon. Usman Kumo (Gombe) as Chief Whip of the House; Hon. Halims Abdulahi from Kogi as Deputy Majority Leader and Rt. Hon.Oriyomi Onanuga from Ogun as the Deputy Chief Whip.
However, shortly after the announcements the APC national chairman told a meeting of the Progressives Governors Forum that the announcements were done without recourse to the party and thus stand rejected.
He said while the party was aware and duly recognized the election of presiding officers of both chambers, the announcements about the principal officers which didn’t follow procedure remained as mere rumours.
As the members of the National Assembly insisted that they were going to stand by the announcements made by their presiding officers, the stage was set for a showdown.
However, the governors elected on the platform of the party have blamed the confusion on the communication gap between the party and the leadership of the National Assembly and have promised to resolve the matter amicably.
Addressing newsmen after their meeting with the National Working Committee of the party, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodinma, said the Forum intends to employ the APC internal mechanism to settle the discord.
“Don’t let us misquote him. The chairman never said that they (Akpabio and Abbas) are on their own. The National Assembly leadership belongs to our great party and they enjoy our support.
“If there is a communication gap anywhere, we will make it up. We have our internal mechanism for resolving such things. The National Assembly leadership enjoys the support of the Progressives Governors Forum and of our party. We don’t have any problem at all.
“We congratulated ourselves in the way and manner the leadership of the National Assembly election was conducted. We now have a Senate President, his Deputy Senate President, Speaker and his deputy who we are very confident will do well,” he said.
The governor also debunked a report that Adamu has handed in the audited account of the APC for scrutiny ahead of the National Caucus meeting slated for July 10.
“In the course of the conversation, the chairman did mention that in keeping with the Electoral Act, they (NWC) are working on having an audited account that will be presented at the national caucus meeting. It was just mentioned. It has not been presented,” he said.
In attendance were Governors Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Mohammed Bago (Niger), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Nasir Idris (Kebbi).
