Ahead of the inauguration of the 9th Senate in June 2019, the ruling party, a few days ago announced decision to zero the choice of leaders of the 9th legislative session on Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and Speaker respectively.
The development, however, earned grumblings among members of the party, one of the aspirants; Senator Ali Ndume also made his objection to the arrangement known and vowed to pursue his ambition to become the Senate President. A Senator -elect from Osun State, precisely Osun East Senatorial District, Prince Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi has also asked the Presidency and the APC to allow the federal lawmakers choose their principal officers . Stating the importance of the need for the executive to allow the principles of separation of powers takes its root and operate in the nation’s democratic system, any interference in the affairs of the legislative arm by the executive or the ruling party will according to him, be in contradistinction with the course of politics and democratic tenets.
The famous politician, who sources said, was rallying opinions among colleagues against the alleged imposition tendencies in the ruling APC, had asked;
‘What is the business of the executive with the election of the principal officers of the National Assembly?
Why should the election process of the National Assembly create the tension it is creating within the APC leadership? He asked. He also cautioned the ruling party against the idea of creating an impression that it is a scenario of the headmaster giving instructions to the pupils. ‘The way the party is going about it is actually exposing Senator Ahmed Lawan. The actions of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole is like that of a headmaster giving instructions to his pupils.
The party ought to be discreet about it, it is not about the insistence on imposition of an anointed candidate on the Senators. This is because the party is exposing Senator Ahmed Lawan to the danger of being viewed and labeled as a stooge of the executive’, he stated. He asked the executive to rather endeavour to deplore their energy and zeal on revamping and regenerating the economic fortunes of the country which has dwindled and required special attention instead of dissipating energy, time and resources on the issue of Principal Officers of the National Assembly.
‘Majority of the elected Senators are matured people that have been trusted with leadership positions in the past. Some have been governors of their various states before contesting and winning the Senate seat.
Therefore, they know who have the best of what it takes to lead the red chamber successfully as well as the nation. And they are the representatives of their people as they are not representing parties but constituents. Once a Senator is elected, he or she becomes a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not APC/PDP Senator. Therefore, the executive arm and the APC leadership should for the sake of our national interest outgrow various primordial and divisive interest in the legislative arm of Government as it happens in other climes’ he submitted. The former Customs boss, however, charged the 9th Senate to strive hard and be committed to bills that can improve the economy and fight poverty which according to him is the biggest problem confronting the country. ‘This is because posterity and history will judge every man based on his actions and inactions towards improving the lives of the citizenry’, he stated.
-Akinlolu Abayomi
