The horse-trading for the
leadership of the 9th Senate intensified yesterday with the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) spearheading negotiation with some aspirants from the
All Progressives Congress (APC) for the office of the President of the Senate.
The PDP is plotting a joint
ticket by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Danjuma
Goje and the outgoing Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu.
But some leaders of PDP are
suggesting either Sen. Ali Ndume-Ekweremadu mandate or Sen. Abdullahi
Adamu-Ekweremadu ticket.
But most PDP senators-elect,
especially loyalists of the outgoing Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, have
been uncomfortable with any joint ticket with Ndume or Adamu.
Saraki and influential PDP
leaders prefer a deal with Goje, who was once a father-figure in the opposition
party before he defected to APC.
The outcome of the proposed
alliance will pit the joint candidate for the Senate against the Senate Leader,
Dr. Ahmad Lawan, who has been adopted by President Muhammadu Buhari and the
APC.
Investigation by our
correspondent revealed that the PDP opted for another alliance to hijack the
Senate leadership in order to have a high stake in the 9th National Assembly
and secure a comfortable slot for the South-East which might be left out of power
sharing at the centre by the APC.
The PDP was said to be interested
in a succession plan which will “sustain the current checks and balances
against the Buhari administration” as symbol ised by Saraki and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
According to findings made by our
correspondent, Ekweremadu has been holding marathon meetings with some APC
senators-elect, especially those rated as “rebellious and amenable”, in order
to get at least 56 simple majority out of 109 to enable the alliance to control
the Senate.
It was learnt that the ongoing
talks and negotiations have delayed the declaration of Goje for Senate
Presidency. At a caucus meeting of the PDP, its senators and senators-elect, it
was resolved that “all the senators-elect should stay together to study the
situation until the time for the election of principal officers.”
Some APC senators-elect, who
spoke in confidence, confirmed that Ekweremadu has been reaching out to them
“preaching peace, unity and the need to uphold the principle of separation of
powers.”
A reliable source, who spoke in
confidence, said: “The intrigues for the Office of the President of the Senate
have heightened with the PDP seeking to retain its present stake in the upper
chamber.
“Already, the party is plotting a
joint ticket by Goje and Ekweremadu or Ndume/Adamu-Ekweremadu alliance. “We
initially underrated the plot until Ekweremadu started meeting with APC
Senators-elect under the guise of fighting for the upholding of the principle of
separation of powers. “The opposition wants a repeat of 2015 power game in the
Senate and it is determined to divide the APC.
“The reality is that PDP is
desirous of a weighty slot in the Senate to be able to checkmate President
Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling APC.
“At the heart of it all also is
the calculation for 2023. The opposition does not want to give APC a breathing
space before the next elections.
“Also, the PDP seeks to
accommodate the South-East in the National Assembly hierarchy since APC might
not give the geopolitical zone a significant appointment.” Asked of the status
of talks, another top source added: “Most PDP leaders prefer Goje-Ekweremadu
ticket. Those loyal to Saraki do not really support Ndume and Adamu because of
fear of vengeance if they emerge the Senate President.
“Do not forget that Saraki’s
administration removed and suspended Ndume as Senate Leader. It is a wound that
is yet to heal. To Saraki, the emergence of Ndume will be suicidal. “As for
Adamu, he led the antagonistic Parliamentary Support Group (PSG) which
coordinated many assaults on Saraki in the chamber. “Adamu only escaped
suspension by a whisker because of his old age and long standing relationship
with the late kingmaker of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki. “The
Goje-Ekweremadu option appears more realistic than others.
But Ndume and Adamu, who are
still bitter with Buhari for not appreciating their loyalty, may play a
spoiler’s game.” Upon enquiries, a PDP senator-elect simply said: “We had a
caucus meeting last week and we resolved that all our senators-elect should
stay together to study the situation until the time for the election of
principal officers As at press time, the Ahmed Lawan camp, which got wind of
the latest plot, was improving on its lobbying of PDP senators-elect.
A loyalist of Lawan said: “We are
working round the clock to ensure that our candidate wins the leadership
election in June. We have also gained more support from PDP camp too. “We are
working hard to secure a comfortable figure for Lawan to emerge as Senate
President. So far, there is no cause for alarm.”
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All these names. What have they wvee dome for the people? Selfish jobbers
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