Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday announced the lawmaker representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele as the new Leader of the Red Chamber, along other principal officers from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the opposition parties.
Other principal officers announced are Senators Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South, South East) as the Deputy Senate Leader); Ali Ndume (Borno South, North East), Chief Whip; and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South, North Central) as the Deputy Chief Whip.
Also, the principal officers from minority parties are Senators Mwadkwon Simon Davou (PDP Plateau North) as Minority Leader; Oyewumi Kamorudeen Olarere (PDP Osun West), Deputy Minority Leader, Darlington Nwokeocha (LP Abia Central), Minority Whip and Rufai Hanga (NNPP Kano Central) who emerged as the new Deputy Minority Whip.
Welcoming his colleagues back to plenary after the Sallah break, the Senate President, said the APC caucus of the Red Chamber, after due consultation has emerged with their leadership which he said should be the fulcrum of their businesses in the chamber.
“I am happy to announce that by consensus the Senate Leader is Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. He will be the Majority Leader of the Senate. Senator Muhammed Ali Ndume will be the Chief Whip of the 10th Senate and Senator David Umahi by all consent will act as the Deputy Leader of the Senate and Senator Lola Ashiru as Deputy Senatee Whip,” he said.
Akpabio went further: “The normal challenges facing our dear country are very open before all of us and so as we resume today it is to work with the aim of stabilising the entire country and the current administration of President Bola Tinubu to ensure rapid economic growth which he has shown so far in less than 20 days in office.
“It is against this backdrop that I call on all senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by extention the entirety of the National Assembly to work together closely and collaboratively with our citizens before any other premordial sentiments or agenda.
“At an aupiscious time like this the country has entrusted us with the responsibility of law making, oversight functions and representations at all levels to shape the policies and making laws and legislations that will impact positively on the lives of our people and think about renewed hope and the birth of a new Nigeria.
“As we resume today, I just want us to focus on expectations of our conscience and as we do so may Almighty God help us. We should engage in dialogue and finding common ground in all issues, we will work collaboratively towards the greater good that will trascend partisan lines.”
Meanwhile, Bamidele, who was the chairman, Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters in the 9th Senate, has expressed profound gratitude to the leadership of the National Assembly under the chairmanship of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, his colleagues and other key stakeholders of the APC over his emergence as the Senate Leader.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media office, Bamidele particularly appreciated the leadership roles played by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) in steering the affairs of the nation well in the few weeks he had assumed office.
“I will live up to expectations and use my good offices to ensure a smooth relationship between the Senate and the executive arm of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he promised.
Bamidele, a seasoned and multilateral legal practitioner, civil rights activist, was a former Honourable Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development as well as Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy consecutively in Lagos State.
He was also a former chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Budget and Research in the 7th National Assembly. He equally served as the chairman of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office, NABRO between July 2011 and June 2015.
