Tag: Senate President

Senate Presidency should be zoned to South-south — PANDEF

The group said the APC leadership cannot be entirely unmindful that a Muslim Senate President would affect the overall desired stability in the country.

Socio-political group, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position of Senate President to the South-South geopolitical zone in the interest of equity and fairness.

In a statement by the group’s spokesman, Ken Robinson, PANDEF said it is only “proper” for the ruling party which has a majority of Senators-elect, to zone the highly coveted position to the South-South zone.

The APC won majority of the legislative seats during the elections with over 55 Senate seats out of 109 and over 160 out of 360 House of Representatives seats.

Many APC chieftains and legislative member-elect have expressed interest in the highly coveted positions in the red and green chambers. They include Orji Kalu, Jibrin Barau, Godswill Akpabio, Dave Umahi, Ahmad Lawan, Ali Ndume, Abdulaziz Yari, Osita Izunaso, amongst others.

The party is expected to release its zoning formula after the Ramadan fast, according to Senate Spokesperson, Ajibola Bashiru.

PANDEF, which is led by elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark, argued that the last time someone from the present South-South States occupied the office of Senate President was during the 2nd Republic (1979/1983), when the late Senator Joseph Wayas, from Cross River State, was elected, first in October 1979, and, again, in October 1983, before that Republic was truncated on 31st December 1983.

“In the present dispensation, since 1999, the South-South Zone has not had a turn in the Office of the Senate President. The Region has had stints at the lower levels of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, between 1999 and 2007, under the Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, and the Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, both from Rivers State. Currently, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, from Delta State, is Deputy Senate President.

“Ostensibly, the South-South Zone has an unassailable reason to step up to the Senate Presidency, after twenty-four years of our current Democratic experience. No contrary arguments can stand against this South-South position.”

The group said the APC leadership cannot be entirely unmindful of the fact that a Muslim Senate President would bring further imperilment to national order, affecting the sorely desired overall stability.

“PANDEF, therefore, implores the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, along with other key stakeholders of the APC, and, indeed, all Senators-elect of all parties, and the party hierarchies, to support the ceding of the incoming Senate Presidency to the South South zone. This is, unarguably, the fair and proper thing to do, at this time of our Country’s political progression,” the statement partly read.

19/04/2023
Aspirants for Senate President, Speaker offer $1million per vote- APC Govs

Two candidates who seek to hold the third and fourth-highest offices in Nigeria are rumoured to be planning to bribe their fellow lawmakers with as much as $1 million each to get elected, officials have said.

Governors elected on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this ‘rumour’ in a memo to the country’s newly elected president, Bola Tinubu.

The governors under the aegis of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) said they were aware of ‘rumours’ that two lawmakers, one aspiring for Senate President and another for Speaker of the House of Representatives, have expressed willingness to offer between $500,000 and $1 million per lawmaker in exchange for votes.

Although they did not name the two candidates allegedly involved in the bribery scheme, they suggested the two candidates are members of the APC.

“Indeed, it is being rumoured that one aspirant for the Senate Presidency and another for Speakership are willing to offer as much as $500,000 to $1 million per vote. Opposition party members of the National Assembly are being courted with the likelihood of the 2015 situation presenting itself if care is not taken.

According to Premium Times, PGF had in a memo called for the intervention of Mr Tinubu on the zoning of the principal offices of the federal parliament. The governors recommended a zoning formula for the offices.

According to the memo which is the outcome of a meeting held on 8 April, the governors warned Mr Tinubu that the “over-investment” by the aspirants may make zoning impossible if action is not taken quickly.

The governors noted that aspirants are offering newly elected lawmakers thousands of dollars for support, and some are willing to take the offer to a million dollars per vote.

“It is imperative that the President-Elect and the Party wade into this situation and announce an acceptable zoning formula as soon as possible. This is necessary to prevent over-investment by candidates, which leads to acrimony and bitterness. New Senators-elect and members-elect are being offered thousands of dollars.

“Indeed, it is being rumoured that one aspirant for the Senate Presidency and another for Speakership are willing to offer as much as $500,000 to $1 million per vote. Opposition party members of the National Assembly are being courted with the likelihood of the 2015 situation presenting itself if care is not taken,” the memo reads in part.

17/04/2023
Group urges APC to zone Senate Presidency to South-East

A pressure group, Concern Nigerians for Sustainable Democracy (CNSD) has urged the All Progressives Congress(APC) to zone Senate Presidency to the South East.

The Convener and Coordinator of the group, Dr Amos Gizo, made the call while addressing a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Gizo, who said that members of the group were drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), said that the South-East deserved to be considered for integration and sustainability.

He said: “South-East has two APC governors, Imo and Ebonyi and one APC governor-elect also from Ebonyi.

“Also, South-East has produced six APC senators-elect in 2023 election from five states.

“From 1999 till date, South-South has produced Vice-president and President in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan and none from South-East.

“Also, South-South has produced two APC National Chairmen, John Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole and none from South East.”

The convener further said “South-South has also produced the National Secretary, Sen. John Akpan Udodeghe and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Victor Ndoma Egba.

“Also, currently South-South has the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.

“So, there is a need to give South-East a sense of belonging as it has not enjoyed any of these positions since 2015.

According to Gizo, considering the south-east will help tackle the problem of insecurity in the region.

“Our position is to strengthen democracy and reduce political tension.

“We are mindful of the fact that democracy is a game of number.

“We are also mindful that Nigeria is a cosmopolitan and multi religious country that needs special handling in the spirit of keeping the Nigerian state one,”he said.

05/04/2023
Senate President: Group canvasses support for Akpabio

A socio-political group, Us4Us Movement, has canvassed the support of the national leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for Sen. Godswill Akpabio to be become the 10th Senate President.

Convener of the group, Mr Richard Romanus, made the call during an interaction with newsmen after an extraordinary meeting of the group held on Sunday in Calabar.

Romanus said that Akpabio had made huge political sacrifices for the party; hence he should be rewarded and supported for the position of the 10th President of the Senate.

He explained that the Us4Us Movement is made up of young political enthusiasts across all political parties in Nigeria.

According to him, the group exist with the sole aim of advancing the socio-political wellbeing of young people and advocating for good governance in Nigeria.

“Bearing in mind the huge sacrifices Sen. Akpabio made in the interest of the party and for stepping down his presidential ambition unconditionally for Sen. Bola Tinubu, he should be compensated.

“His stepping down overwhelmingly helped in midwifing a seamless victory for Sen. Tinubu during the national convention of the APC.

“Also, we are aware that Sen. Akpabio worked assiduously to deliver more than the constitutionally required 25 per cent vote to the APC in a Peoples Democratic Party controlled state like Akwa Ibom.

“The leadership of Us4Us Movement hereby resolve to support and appeal for Sen. Akpabio to be elected as the Senate President of the incoming 10th Assembly.

“We call on the vast majority of elected Senators to galvanize their support for the Senate Presidential ambition of Akpabio,” he said.

Romanus added that in the interest of fairness and expanding the party in the South South geopolitical zone, the leadership of the APC should zone the office of the Senate President to the South-South region.

He noted that the Us4Us Movement was of strong opinion that the interest of young people, especially within the South-South geopolitical zone, would be best protected by Akpabio as Senate President.

“We the members of Us4Us Movement hereby unanimously adopt and endorse Akpabio for Senate President, on the strength of his unrivalled track record of performance and commitment to the party and the people of Nigeria.

“We urge other elected members of the incoming 10th Senate and the leadership of the APC to overwhelmingly support Akpabio in the spirit of fairness, credibility and competence,” he said.

26/03/2023
I’m most qualified for Senate Presidency- Uzor-Kalu

Sen.Orji Uzor-Kalu, the Chief Whip of Senate, has signified his interest in becoming Nigeria’s 10th Senate President, should the position be zoned to the South East by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Uzor-Kalu said this when he spoke with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

” I will like the party to zone it to my zone, to my village in Igbere because the President-elect needs people of high character to turn around the economy and work for for the masses and make laws that will enable him turn around the economy.

” This because, I am an economic person, an entrepreneur,” he said.

The former Abia governor said he was the most qualified senator for the position based on the Senate rules as well as his pedigree.

“The Senate has rules, let me be honest with you, if we practice true democracy, I should not be in contest with any body , because apart from the Senate President,Deputy Senate President,the Senate Leader.

” I am the next ranking member in the Senate going by the position I occupy today in the 9th Senate.

“It is virtually impossible that the Senate will elect or zone it to a new member of the Senate.

“The Senate is an established institution that needs somebody with an experience,some one with the skills and will be able to relate,” Uzor-Kalu said.

He lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) on the conduct of the 2023 general election. adding however, that no election all over the world was perfect.

“We have some lapses, there is no democracy that is perfect, but we must move on, INEC has done the job they can do, it is left for us as lawmakers to tighten the lose in the act where there were mistakes and make necessary amendments in the electoral act.

“And I want you journalists to highlight where there were lapses,” Uzor-Kalu said.

He said that President -elect, when sworn in would stand firm in giving good governance, and would also stand firm with the 10th assembly to amend the constitution to make for an electronic voting process and do away with paper works in election.

“For me no election is perfect and the President-elect is talking about fairness and he will work with the National Assembly in line with human rights to address the issues of economy, electoral processes, police and security and remove the issues around our electoral processes,” he said.

Uzor-Kalu said he had been part of team Nigeria and would always be there for Nigerians at all times.

“And I hope that Nigerians will pray for me to be Senate President because it is my turn,” he said.

21/03/2023
Senate presidency: Orji Kalu raises alarm on attack on his personality

Orji Uzor Kalu

As the battle for Senate presidency intensifies, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has raised the alarm over attacks on his personality.

The former Abia State governor who made this known in a statement on Thursday, said people have resorted to telling lies with the aim of damaging his reputation over the position of senate presidency.

According to Kalu, the10th Senate should be focused on how to improve the lives of Nigerians they were elected to represent rather than attacking him over the position.

The statement reads, “By June 13, the National Assembly would be electing a new leadership to spearhead the affairs of the 10th Senate.

“As the race continues to gain the attention of all Nigerians, I implore my dear colleagues who have interest in the Presidency of the senate to focus more on the difference they can make rather than exerting energy on blackmails.

“To progress and succeed as a nation, we must shun hatred, lies and propaganda. People are telling lies against my person; using my name for gossip, buying and selling. Because of position, people have embarked on high level and low level character assassination and defamation of Orji Uzor Kalu.

“We should always remember God’s authority in our lives. We should remember that the life we live is not for ourselves alone but for God and to then accommodate other people”.

16/03/2023