By Ayo Yusuf
After weeks of speculation and horse-trading, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio Tuesday announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, as Senate Majority Leader and his chief contender and former senate leader Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South, as the new Senate Chief Whip.
Reading a letter from his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Akpabio named Senator Dave Umahi, APC, Ebonyi South as the Deputy Leader and Senator Lola Ashiru, APC, Kwara South as the Deputy Whip.
The announcement of the principal officers ended weeks of speculation over which geopolitical zone would be ceded the Senate Leadership or the other offices as the ruling party grapples with issues of balancing religion and ethnicity.
When the Senate resumed sitting after the break on 14th June, Senator Akpabio who entered the red chambers at 11.18am, had asked Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, APC, Abia North to move for the adoption of Votes and Proceedings of their last sitting and was seconded by Senator Ezenwa, Imo East.
After announcing the names of the principal officers, Senator Akpabio revealed that they were the consensus candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus of the Senate.
The Senate President directed the new principal officers to take their seats appropriatelyon the front row as they receive the congratulations of their colleagues in the senate.
The senate president afterwords announced a closed-door session from which the Senate emerge to announce the leaders picked by the six minority parties in the upper house .
Accordingly Mr. Akpabio announced Simon Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau North) as the minority leader and Oyewunmi Olalere (PDP, Osun West) as the deputy minority leader.
He also said Darlington Nwokeocha (LP, Abia Central) has been appointed minority Whip, while Rufai Hanga (NNPP, Kano Central) emerged as deputy minority whip.
After the announcement, the Senate President also directed the minority leaders to sit at their appropriate seats in the front row.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has announced the principal officers of the 10th House of Representatives.
Hon. Julius Ihonvbere representing Owan federal constituency of Edo State was named the majority leader while Hon. Kingsley Chinda representing Ohio/Akpor federal constituency of Rivers State was announced as the minority leader.
Other principal officers from the Majority Caucus were Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims (Kogi, APC)Deputy majority leader; Hon. Usman Bello Kumo (Gombe, APC)Chief Whip and Hon. Adewumi Onanuga (Ogun, APC) -Deputy Majority Whip.
As for the the minority parties, the Speaker announced Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) as the Minority Leader, Hon. Ali Isah (Gombe) Minority Whip, Hon. Madaki Aliyu (NNPP, Kano) Deputy Minority Leader and George Adegeye (LP, Lagos), Deputy Minority Whip.
