By Ezrel Tabiowo
In view of the recent victory of the All Progressive Congress at the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections which seized ruling and majority status from the Peoples Democratic Party, the chances of Senator Mark’s emergence as Senate President in the eight National Assembly set to begin during the first week of June is far from likely.
Senators elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who are presently sharply divided over the candidacy of two major contenders in the race to occupy the highest office in the National Assembly are Senators Bukola Saraki and Ahmed Lawan.
Saraki, a former governor of Kwara state between 2003 and 2011 is from the North Central zone, while Lawan hails from the North East.
One of the four top contenders earlier in the race, was Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume (Benue North West), who last week decided to relinquish his ambition and queue behind Senator Lawan as his running mate.
On his path, Saraki while speaking with journalists on Monday disclosed that 35 out of the 59 Senators elected under the APC ticket had resolved to throw their weight around his candidacy in the forthcoming contest for the number three highest public office in Nigeria.
Some notable senators behind his candidacy are Danjuma Goje, Binta Garba Marshi, Shaaba Lafiagi and Rafiu Ibrahim, Ali Ndume, Abdullahi Adamu, David Umaru, Bayero Nafada amongst others.
Given Senator Saraki’s claim, it therefore means that Lawan is now left with 24 Senators, though the latter maintained otherwise in a claim made earlier this week that he enjoys the support of 37 lawmakers of the upper chamber. The implication is that the two contenders have to embark on an intensive lobbying of Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for support, and whomever finds favour with the opposition members (PDP) will emerge winner and leader of the eight National Assembly.
Senate Presidency (1999 – 2015): A tale of scandals and wits
Following Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, occupants of the highest office of Nigeria’s apex legislative body, all of who served as Senate Presidents between the first and seventh National Assembly, were at different times embroiled in a power game of wits that clearly defined their personalities as controversial within certain contexts.
The controversies surrounding the tenures of past and serving Senate Presidents, however, recorded a tale of wits which either threw the National Assembly into a series of scandals or helped strengthen it as an institution and arm of government.
Senator Evan Enwerem, who served as Senate president between May and November, 1999, and whose tenure is considered the shortest so far, was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 1st National Assembly.
Despite the enormous support he enjoyed from President Olusegun Obasanjo at the time, he was impeached following allegations of perjury and age falsification brought against him.
Though he resisted all efforts to throw him out of office – one which lasted for months – he was eventually shown the way out following and impeachment that forced the reins from his grip on Thursday 18, November, 1999.
Chuba Okadigbo (1999 – 2000)
With power wrestled from Enwerem, the political chess game shifted the National Assembly away from the overbearing influence of the Executive arm of government with the emergence of Senator Chuba Okadigbo who was produced by overwhelming majority votes and served between 1999 and 2000.
Senator Okadigbo, referred to as Oyi of Oyi, whose Senate Presidency was highly charged by controversies, stood opposed to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party under the leadership of President Obasanjo over his insistence on the separation of powers between the three arm of government.
His frequent clash with the Obasanjo presidency resulted in degenerated relations between the National Assembly and the Executive,
Senator Chuba’s radicalism which never relented in advocating a National Assembly devoid of executive interference, however, came under severe threat following the emergence of loyalists to President Obasanjo in the upper chamber who were bent on frustrating him to vacate the exalted seat he occupied.
Barely one year into office as Senate President, Senator Okadigbo was asked to throw in the towel by resigning following allegations of gross abuse of office and corruption levelled against him.
The Senate President was accused of buying eight additional official cars for $290,000, bringing his total official vehicles to 32; spending $225,000 on garden furniture for his luxury government house; $340,000 on furnishing the home to his taste, and $120,000 over the authorised budget.
Also, he was slammed for accepting a secret payment of $208,000 from public funds.
Standing his ground against calls for his immediate resignation in an earlier motion, he was impeached through a vote on the floor, and which was passed by 81 votes to 14.
His impeachment followed the resignations of deputy senate president Haruna Abubakar, and the parliamentary majority leader, Samaila Mamman.
Anyim P. Anyim (2000 – 3003)
Elected as national Senator on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform in 1999 for the Ebonyi South constituency of Ebonyi State, Anyim Pius Anyim was appointed Senate President in August, 2000, after Okadigbo’s impeachment.
In a seemingly controversial display of asserting the independence of the National Assembly, Anyim in May 2001, declared that the upper legislative house was justified in probing the activities of the Mines and Power Ministry during the tenure of the Late Chief Bola Ige.
Again, in June 2002, Senator Anyim made an attempt to have President Olusegun Obasanjo impeached but failed. Speaking a year later, Anyim said President Olusegun Obasanjo misunderstood him on certain issues but there was no conflict between them. In August 2002 he said he was opposed to all the present office holders – including himself – going for a second term.
Determined to stabilise and redeem the image of the senate from the series of scandals that had earlier rocked its leadership under Enwerem and Okadigbo, Anyim in November 2002, indefinitely suspended Senator Arthur Nzeribe of Imo State due to an allegation of a N22 million fraud. Nzeribe was however said to be planning an impeachment motion against Anyim before his suspension from the red chamber.
The same month, after Anyim had complained about the Independent Corruption Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Senate set up a committee to examine the continued relevance of the commission.
In May 2003, Anyim warned an Abuja High Court judge, Justice Egbo Egbo, that the parliament had the power to order his arrest over his opposition to the passage of the anti-graft ICPC law by the Senate.
Anyim did not seek re-election in 2003, knowing fully well that under Obasanjo’s watch, he would lose his deposit in the process. Therefore, instead of contesting, he mobilised resources for ANPP candidates in Ebonyi State to challenge his own party.
Adolphus Wabara (2003 – 2005)
Adolphus Ndaneweh Wabara, born 1948, represented the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State. He became a senator in 1999, and was president of the Senate from 2003 to 2005.
Barely in office for a year, Senator Adolphus Wabara of the Peoples Democratic Party who succeeded Anyim, was hit by allegations of financial misappropriation in May 2004.
Some senators who had President Olusegun Obasanjo’s backing to investigate an embattled Wabara, accused the Senate President of exceeding his authority by handing out various contracts without the knowledge or approval of the responsible Senate committee.
Though Wabara maintained that the allegations were false, however resigned in April 2005 from his position after allegations were made that he and others took a $400,000 bribe from the education minister, Fabian Osuji. He stepped down in 2005 and was succeeded by Senator Ken Nnamani.
Ken Nnamani (2005 – 2007)
Kenneth Ugwu Nnamani, born on November 2, 1948 in Enugu became a senator in 2003 under the political platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, and was president of the Senate of Nigeria from 2005 to 2007.
Ken Nnamani was elected to the senate for Enugu East in 2003, and was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Federal Character & Governmental Affairs and member of committees on Privatization, Federal Capital Territory and Appropriation & Finance. He became president of the Senate of Nigeria from April 5, 2005 to 2007, and succeeded Adolphus Wabara resigned due to allegations of corruption.
David Mark (2007 – till date)
David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark, GCON, born April 1948, is Nigeria’s longest serving President of the Senate who assumed office on June 6, 2007.
Elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party to represent Benue South in the National Assembly, Senator David Mark was re-elected for a fifth term during the National Assembly elections which held on March 28, 2015.
Mark, who particularly is reputed for stabilising the senate during his 8 years of presiding over the upper chamber, eliminated the popular “banana peel” from the senate, one believed to have been responsible for the fall of previous senate presidents who were disgraced from office over allegations of corruption and perjury.
For the first time under his leadership as senate president, there was relatively an improved working synergy between the executive and legislature. His disposition as a nationalist and negotiator led to the resolution of disputes between the Federal Government and Labour unions in the country.
Senator Mark’s intervention saved Nigeria from imminent collapse in January 2012 owing to the role he played towards ending a strike embarked by labour unions over the increase in petrol cost, which potentially sparked an oil production shutdown.
Also, under the leadership of David Mark, the intervention of the Senate brought about an end to the strike action by lecturers of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The crisis which lasted for 6 months was finally resolved in December 2013, following the role which the senate committee on education played, that saw a middle ground being reached between the federal government and lecturers over the payment of owed allowances.
Among inconclusive probes by the seventh senate under his presidency were investigations into pension administration in the country, kerosene subsidy scam, police pension fund fraud, the Stella Oduah probe, $20 billion missing oil money, $15million private jet/arms scandal, Immigration job scandal, Malabu oil deal scandal, and Ekitigate scandal.
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