Last Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, succeeded in ensuring that their preferred candidates emerged the presiding officers of the National Assembly. AKANI ALAKA writes on the intrigues that led to the emergence of Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, as the heads of the National Assembly and the expected consequences for governance in the country.
Contrary to expectations, the battle for the leadership of the ninth National Assembly eventually turned out a no contest for the preferred candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on the floor of the Senate and the House of Representatives last Tuesday.
The decision of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori, to stick to open-secret voting, contrary to a reported order by a court, stipulating the use of open ballot a day before, did not stop Ahmed Lawan, the preferred candidate of APC, from whipping his rebellious colleague, Ali Ndume, to clinch the position of the Senate President. Lawan, who was nominated for the senatorial presidential contest by an APC senator-elect from Kebbi State, Yahaya Abdullahi, polled 79 votes to defeat Ndume, who scored 28 votes at the end of the tally of the ballots.
In the same vein, Ovie Omo-Agege defeated Ike Ekweremadu for the Deputy Senate President seat. Ekweremadu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was the immediate holder of that position and had earlier denied reports that he would re-contest for the seat. Omo-Agege polled 68 votes to defeat Ekweremadu, who got 37 votes with one vote voided. Omo-Agege was elected despite the allegations that he led hoodlums to the Senate to snatch the mace after he was suspended from the legislative chamber just about eight months ago. He denied the allegation.
In the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was nominated for the speakership contest by Rep-elect, Abdulmumin Jibrin, garnered 281 votes to trounce Umar Bago, his APC colleague, who scored only 76 votes. Idris Wase, emerged as Deputy Speaker of the House unopposed.
READ ALSO: Secret of how to escape unemployment–Ikenna Chukwujekwu
Bucking a ‘rebellious’ trend
All the four presiding officers were selected and endorsed by the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee, NWC, of APC, President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party.
Indeed, the president had reiterated his support for the four ‘anointed’ candidates of his party for the legislative topmost positions at a dinner with lawmakers and leaders of his party the night before the election. The president had soon after the 2019 presidential election at separate dinner with lawmakers elected on the platform of APC also reportedly endorsed Lawan and Gbajabiamila for the two leading positions in the National Assembly.
The dinners as well as other interventions by the president, including persuading other contenders for the positions to step down, were believed to have helped buck the trend of rebellion by lawmakers against zoning of positions and ‘anointing’ of specific individuals, as presiding officers for the National Assembly by political parties.
The ‘rebellious’ trend, was set off in 2011 with the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, against the preference of the PDP, the then ruling party, for Mulikat Akande. This was repeated in 2015 with the emergence of Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, as the Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives, respectively against the choice of Lawan and Gbajabiamila for the positions.
Unlike his active involvement in the process that culminated in the election of last Tuesday, the president had in 2015 stood aloof from the contest for the presiding officers and had even asserted that he was ready to work with anybody elected by the lawmakers to lead them.
But the preferred candidates also did their bit in rallying their colleagues inside and outside of their political parties behind their ambitions. Lawan and Gbajabiamila met and offered leadership of key committees to members of the main opposition PDP to get their support.
Gbajabiamila, who also overcame a mudslinging campaign against him to emerge Speaker, also went round the country, visiting governors elected on the platform of
APC and opposition parties to canvass their support for his ambition.
It was gathered that with the outreach to the opposition party, Lawan and Gbajabiamila were able to garner significant support from the PDP, as reflected in the votes they scored.
With majority of opposition lawmakers’ minds already made up on who they will vote for, it was not a surprise that the directive of PDP governors early Tuesday on who their members vote for did not gain much traction.
Some sources even claimed that the PDP governors were not united in their choice of who to direct their party members to vote for, as presiding officers of the 9th National Assembly.
Excitement in APC camp
The success of APC in ensuring that its preferred candidates emerged, as leaders of the National Assembly is generating excitement among members of the party. In their excitement, APC members also affirmed that the men have the capacity and ability to function effectively in their new positions.
Leading the cheer was President Buhari, who in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, described the process that led to the emergence of the presiding officers, as transparent, fair and a plus for Nigeria’s democracy. The president also described the election of Lawan and Gbajabiamila, as “a new dawn, different from duplicity and perfidy of the immediate past.”
In the same vein, Oshiomhole described his party’s victory in the National Assembly leadership contest, as a remedy for the wrong of 2015: “For me, it is our finest hour, particularly when you bear in mind what happened in 2015. It is the mischief of 2015 that we have tried to correct, and I am happy that it has been settled,” he said.
Former Abia State governor and senator, representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, said in his congratulatory message that the new National Assembly leaders have the capacity to deliver on the jobs they have been saddled with. “The new leadership of the National Assembly symbolises a new era in the history of Nigeria. Senate President Lawan and Speaker Gbajabiamila have the political capacity, legislative experience and administrative acumen to steer the affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives.
“Also, Senator Omo-Agege and Hon. Wase will perform well in their new roles,” the former governor said.
“Rubber Stamp” National Assembly?
But the fact that the new presiding officers were virtually railroaded and supported to emerge, as leaders of the National Assembly, by their party and the president has also raised fears that they may end up as rubber stamps, giving in, willy-nilly, to the desires of the executive.
Analysts and supporters of the new National Assembly leaders, however, said this may not be possible given the slim majority APC has, especially in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. There is also the argument that the presiding officers are experienced enough in legislative nuances to know that they are occupying their positions with the support of their colleagues and can be removed in case of anything untoward is proven against them.
Nevertheless, the congratulatory messages to the new presiding officers have been accompanied by entreaties to them that they must safeguard the independence of the legislature and the interests of Nigerians.
“As you set forth on your legislative endeavours in the next four years, I ask that you always put the Nigerian people first in all that you do and protect the integrity of the legislative institution,” the immediate senate president, Saraki, said in his message to the new National Assembly leaders.
“The PDP reminds the National Assembly members to bear in mind that their allegiance is to the people and the constitution, and not to any particular leader or group. Our party therefore charges the legislature to work only in the interest of our nation and resist the manipulations and pressure that might come from quarters that seek to undermine our democratic order,” the National Working Committee of PDP said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan to congratulate the new leaders.
In a reassuring note, Lawan and Gbajabiamila had also promised in the speeches they delivered after they were sworn in that in spite of the support they got from their APC and the President to emerge as leaders of the National Assembly, they will run an inclusive, independent senate devoted to working for a secured and prosperous future for all Nigerians
“I’ll run a Senate that would be responsive to the needs of the masses on whose mandate we are at the Senate,” Lawan said.
Speaking in the same vein, Gbajabiamila assured his colleagues that his leadership would work with every member, irrespective of their party affiliation and protect the interest of Nigerians.
“I understand that I hold this office in trust for you and Nigerians. Conscious of this sacred trust, I hereby dedicate myself to the service of this honourable House and of the good citizens of this great country, with the commitment that I shall at all times strive to defend the constitution of our republic,” he said.
President Buhari, in his congratulatory message to the new presiding officers also said that the “executive does not desire a rubber stamp legislature.”
No more excuses
The president, who claimed he did not enjoy a cordial relation with the presiding officers of the 8th Senate, however, said: “While separation of powers is essential, collaboration among all arms of government should be the name of the game. Opposition need not be virulent.”
Echoing this, some APC members said with the manner of their emergence, the new leadership of the National Assembly will be able to sustain a harmonious relationship with the executive.
APC spokesperson, Malam Lanre Isa-Onilu said such cooperation between the executive and the lawmakers will help the Buhari government to continue to deliver on its programme of infrastructural and economic development.
He added that the synergy between the Executive and the Legislature will lead to more support for the government’s fight against corruption and insecurity for the benefit of Nigerians.
Also speaking, Oshiomhole said with the development in the National Assembly, APC would no longer have any excuse not to deliver.
“We can’t say we are being blocked by the parliament; parliament is ours and those who don’t believe in change cannot be entrusted with the challenge of managing the change. And that is why I said we must give the position of responsibility to those who believe in our change agenda so today, that has been translated,” he said.
The new challenge for the Buhari government, he added, was to gird its loins and rise up to the expectations of Nigerians in various areas.
“We now have no excuse not to deliver on security, not to deliver on the economy and not to deliver on prosperity because that is what the ordinary man voted for and they are our constituents,” he said.
