By Ayo Yusuf
Fresh crisis appear to be brewing as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) rejects the names of principal officers announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Traditionally, while the positions of presiding officers like Senate President and the deputy, and the Speaker and deputy are expected to be the result of elections conducted at the first plenary of both chambers, the rest leadership positions, including the Majority Leaders, Chief Whips and their deputies are the preserve of the ruling party which normally nominates the names to be read at the floor of the respective chambers to fill the vacant offices.
At the resumed sitting of the National Assembly Tuesday, both Senator Akpabio and Rt. Hön. Abbas had announced the new leaders of their Houses during their plenary.
In the Senate, Senator Akpabio had named Opeyemi Bamidele, as Majority Leader; David Umahi as Deputy Majority Leader; Mohammed Ali Ndume, as Senate Majority Whip; and Lola Ashiru as Deputy Majority Whip.
In the same vein, Hon. Abbas named Julius Ihonvbere, representing Owan east/Owan west Federal Constituency of Edo State as the majority leader; Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims representing Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro of Kogi State, as deputy majority leader; Bello Usman Kumo, representing Akko federal constituency of Gombe as the chief whip; and Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo north federal constituency in Ogun, as the deputy chief whip.
Senator Akpabio had claimed that the lists were the product of consensus arrived at by the caucus of the APC in the Senate.
However, addressing a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee and Progressives Governors’ Forum in Abuja later, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, disclosed that the party had no input in the names announced by the presiding officers.
He said the National Assembly breached protocol by announcing the principal officers without the knowledge of the party.
Constitutionally, the party is supposed to send the name of the principal officers to the leadership of the National Assembly.
He said while he was aware that the election of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, and Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives which “have been determined and announced and their responsibilities, the remaining offices of the two chambers is yet to be done. I had a courtesy call on Saturday from the President of the Senate and his Deputy. The following which was Sunday, I received the visit by the Speaker and his Deputy Speaker coming to me for Sallah’s homage.
“But, I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices.
“And until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions. So whatever announcement is done either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat,” he said.
