Nigeria: Senate Presidency - Senators-Elect Reject APC Consensus Candidate GovernanceNigeriaWest Africa
Following the inability of the All Progressive Congress (APC) nominate a sole candidate to the office of Senate President, a group of Senators -elect on the aegis of Like Minded Senators, has challenged supporters of Senator Ahmed Lawan to make public list of 40 senators they claimed have endorsed their candidate.
The senators reject APC's plot to impose a consensus candidate on Senators insisting that Senators must be allowed to choose their leaders on Tuesday next week.
The group had in a statement in Abuja on Friday signed by its spokesman Hon Dino Melaye ((Kogi state) and Ahmadu Sani Yerima (Zamfara state) debunked such claims as false saying the party has not adopted any candidate as its flag bearer to the office of the president of the Senate.
The statement reads in part:"In view of the controversy on the numbers of the senators supporting Senator Bukola Saraki and Ahmed Lawan for the senate presidency of the 8thsenate, we challenge them in the same manner to publicly exhibit the names and signatories they claim that consist of their supports in the senate.
We equally urged them to consolidate it further by submitting the names of the senators that have passed a resolution endorsing Ahmed Lawan as the next senate president as we, the senators of the like minds did when we submitted the names and signatures of the 34 senators endorsing Senator Saraki on May 24 2015 as the next senate president. "
Recall that on Tuesday this week, the spokesperson of the supporters of Senator Lawan which under the platform of Unity Forum promised to release to the public and indeed the Press Corp of the National Assembly the names and signatures of 40 senators purportedly supporting Ahmed Lawan and George Akume, but as at today, the number has changed to 35 and yet they cannot explain to the public the reason for the delay and change of numbers from 40 to 35
It further noted,"We challenge them to publicly do same by publishing the list and forward same to the National chairman of our great party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun.
As democracy continues to be game of numbers, Senator Bukola Saraki is the President of the 8thSenate."
It further added, "On two occasions, APC as the ruling political party has called for due internal democracy through primary elections, on the same two occasions, they have evaded these primary elections to determine the Senate President of the 8th senate.
Their latest presentation to our National Chairman, that ranking should be a criteria for the selection of the next Senate President is fool hardy to suggest because if Ahmed Lawan is the most ranking senator where then was he when George Akume was selected the minority leader of the senate..
If ranking is the way to go, it should be across party line as Senator David Mark is the most ranking senator so far among the senators of the 8th senate. The inconsistence that they have displayed, only suggest to the fact that they do not have the numbers as they claim."
It also recalled that Senator Ken Nnamani became the senate president, despite the fact that he was not a ranking senator. Ditto, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and others. George Akume when he contested David Mark (Sixth Senate) in 2007 was not a ranking senator when he became the senate minority leader.
"Senators must be allowed to choose their own leaders as impositions will only bring the 'Banana Peel' back to the Senate. We should adhere to the rules of the senate in choosing the next senate president. In so doing, experience, acceptability and merit should be of prime importance.
Imposition, Harassment, Intimidation and Nam
