President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pleaded with the federal lawmakers-elect put the nation first in their choice of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
He said it is important for Nigeria under his leadership, to get it right from the start to ensure the nation’s stability.
These were some of the highlights of Tinubu’s meeting with the lawmakers-elect held Thursday at the State House Abuja.
Multiple sources at the meeting told Blueprint that “the gathering was just to have a mutual discussion on how to ensure and cultivate a good working relationship between the legislature and the executive.
“More importantly, Mr. President told the lawmakers to ensure their choice of the NASS leadership is one that will engender stability and unity among the people of this country. He told us to reflect on the need to ensure that no section of the country is sidelined so that everyone will have a sense of belonging.”
Asked if the president spoke on the choice candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as presiding officers, one of the lawmakers-elect said: “Of course, he tried to explain the respect he has for the legislative arm but not without emphasising the need for us to be mindful of our choice so we don’t send the wrong signal to Nigerians.”
The choices of APC are Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as the Speaker of the House, Senator Jibrin Barau as Hon. Benjamin Kalu as deputy senate president and House deputy speaker respectively.
“In very clear terms, President Tinubu pleaded with us to ensure the administration, in collaboration with the legislature, gets it right from the start. Yes, he pleaded with us to ensure the emergence of the right persons as presiding officers, but not a mention of names.”
The source however stated that the immediate past deputy speaker and speakership aspirant, Ahmed Idris Wase from Plateau State and another aspirant, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji from Zamfara State were absent.
However, some other members-elect interested in the top jobs keep pressing on, not minding the party’s position. These include the immediate past Chairman House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu (Borno), Chairman House Committee on Navy Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi(Plateau), Chairperson House Committee on People With Disability Hon. Miriam Onuoha (Imo) and Chairman House Committee on Water Resources Hon. Sada Soli (Katsina) who were all in attendance.
Curiously however, Senator-elect Abdulazeez Abubakar Yari and erstwhile Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase and Aminu Sani Jaji, both speakership aspirants, “were conspicuously” absent at the forum.
Govs back APC endorsed candidates
In a related development, some state governors across political parties have keyed into the choice of Akpabio, Abbas , Jibrin and Kalu’s choices as presiding officers of the incoming 10th National Assembly.
Osun state Governor Dapo Abiodun said himself and some other colleagues took the decision after their Tuesday’s meeting with President Tinubu.
“We (governors) met with the President two days ago. During our meeting, he told us that campaigns are over. He said that he’d be President for all. So, he sought our understanding and collaboration.
“It is within the right of the President to seek those that will make his job easier. He has decided in collaboration with the party that these are the people that he wants to work with.
“All of us across party lines keyed into what the President told us. We had our meeting after meeting him and decided that we should support the President,” the governor said.
Abiodun said he met with the members-elect of Ogun state and told them “you’re standing solidly with Mr. President and the party”.
“I, as Governor of Ogun State, am standing solidly behind you (Tajudeen Abbas),” Governor Abiodun said.
He said God gives power to whom He wishes at the time He wishes, noting that with the array of members-elect that have aligned with Abbas and Kalu, “it shows the level of support that you have.
“I want to thank all those that have keyed into your leadership. Like the President reminded us yesterday (during meeting with APC lawmakers-elect), these are positions for the party with the majority. But that party must seek the partnership of other political parties.”
PDP explains strategy
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it would deploy its number maximally to elect the leaders of the National Assembly.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja Thursday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said the opposition parties were in the majority and united to elect the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate from among themselves.
Ologunagba who described the parliament as the beacon of democracy, disclosed that the PDP lawmakers-elect were united with the leadership of the party.
He said: “With regard to the current race for the Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, it is instructive to note that the opposition parties put together to form a strong majority in the National Assembly and we are very mindful of that.
“The PDP leadership is working together with our members-elect and opposition Parties in the two chambers.
“Irrespective of the ongoing claims in the media, I want to inform you that the PDP has a clear direction which we hold close to our chest, our members are united in that direction and it will show on the floor of both Houses of the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
“In all, we do not discountenance the fact that put the opposition parties have the majority in the National Assembly which we are ready to deploy maximally.”
On the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), Olugunagba said they were not taking their eyes off it.
He alleged that the APC and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) want to derail the cause of justice in the various Election Petition Tribunals across the country.
“It was agreed that any document that is certified by INEC, such document can be tender from the bar. It was unanimously agreed,” he said.
He claimed that INEC’s objection to its evidence in court was to frustrate the court and derail the cause of justice.
Ologunagba also condemned APC’s alleged attack on PDP members at the governorship election petition tribunal premises in Ogun, Nasarawa and Kaduna states.
He described the attack as APC plots to instill fear in the judiciary so as to derail the cause of justice.
“This justifies PDP demand for live coverage of the tribunal proceeding as party members would have been watching at home instead of going to the premises,” he added.
The party publicity scribe demanded “the immediate transfer of the Ogun and Nasarawa Election Tribunals to Abuja for safety and guarantee of justice.
“We believe the tribunal should have a conducive environment. What happened in Ogun state does not show the environment is conducive enough for justice to prevail.”
