… As Akpabio, Abbas announce principal officers for both chambers
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulahi Adamu, fumed over the appointment of the party’s principal officers by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Mr Adamu said the list of new principal officers announced by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, did not emanate from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Earlier, the senate president and the speaker, House of Representatives had announced the names of the new principal officers of their respective chambers at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.
Mr Adamu, a former senator, stated this during a meeting with APC governors on Tuesday at the National Secretariat of the party.
The Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), the umbrella body of all APC governors, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, led the governors to the meeting.
Opeyemi Bamidele emerged as the Senate Leader, while Julius Ihonvbere emerged as the Leader in the House.
Mr Adamu said the news of the emergence of some of the APC principal officers of both chambers is “a mere rumour” because the NWC did not approve such.
He said the NWC did not transmit any list to Messrs Akpabio and Abbas.
“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, the NWC, has yet to give any such information or communicate about the choice of officers.
“And until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing, which is the norm and practice, we do not intend to break away from traditions. So whatever announcement is done is not from this secretariat,” Mr Adamu said.
According to the Standing Orders of the House, the leader of the House is to be nominated by members of the party with the majority, not the NWC.
“Leader of the House shall be a Member nominated from among members of the majority party in the House,” Order 7 reads in part.
However, political parties with the majority in both chambers have recently been involved in choosing their principal officers.
While it maintained the majority seats in the Senate and the House in the past, the then-ruling PDP NWC was also involved in appointing the principal officers.
Akpabio, Abbas announce principal officers
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced the principal officers of the 10th Senate, whom he says emerged by consensus.
The new officers are Senator Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti State as Senate Leader, Senator Dave Umahi from Ebonyi State as Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume from Borno State as Chief Whip, and Senator Lola Ashiru from Kwara State as Deputy Chief Whip.
Akpabio also announced the names of minority principal officers.
They are Senator Simon Davou (Plateau North – PDP, Minority Leader), Oyewunmi Olarere (Osun West – PDP, Deputy Minority Leader), Darlington Nwokeocha (Abia Central – LP, Minority Whip), Rufai Hanga (Kano Central – NNPP, Deputy Minority Whip).
In the same vein, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Tuesday, revealed the new principal officers of the 10th House of Representatives.
They include Julius Ihonvbere (APC – Edo, House Majority Leader), Halims Abdullahi (APC – Kogi, Deputy Majority Leader), Bello Kumo (APC – Gombe, Chief Whip), Adewunmi Onanuga (APC – Ogun, Deputy Chief Whip).
Abbas also read a letter from the Minority Caucus which detailed the names of the principal officers.
The letter named Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Minority Leader), Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Deputy Minority Leader), Ali Isah (PDP, Minority Whip), and George Ozodinobi (Labour Party, Deputy Minority Whip).
