NASS Leadership: APC NWC, Akpabio, Abass at loggerheads

…Bamidele, Umahi, Ndume, others announced as principal officers

…It is a rumour, we will make official announcement – APC National Chairman

…We remain loyal to the party — APC Governors

By Joel Oladele, Abuja

Following the announcement of candidates for leadership positions in the 10th Assembly by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass, crises have stated brewing in the quarters of the ruling party.

Akpabio announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central as the Senate Majority leader and former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South as the Senate Chief Whip.

Akpabio also announced the names of minority principal officers as follows: Senator Simon Davou (Plateau North – PDP, Minority Leader), Oyewunmi Olarere (Osun West – PDP, Deputy Minority Leader), Darlington Nwokeocha (Abia Central – LP, Minority Whip), Rufai Hanga (Kano Central – NNPP, Deputy Minority Whip), Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Minority Leader), Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Deputy Minority Leader), Ali Isah (PDP, Minority Whip), and George Ozodinobi (Labour Party, Deputy Minority Whip.

Likewise, at the House of Representatives, Abbas announced: Julius Ihonvbere (APC – Edo, House Majority Leader), Halims Abdullahi (APC – Kogi, Deputy Majority Leader), Bello Kumo (APC – Gombe, Chief  Whip), Adewunmi Onanuga (APC – Ogun, Deputy Chief Whip).

Reacting to the announcement made by Akpabio and Abass, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a meeting with the Progressive Governors in Abuja on Tuesday described the announcement as “a mere rumour that should be jettisoned.”

The National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu noted that the party is yet to make its stand known on the choice of the National Assembly Principal Officers, adding that it will be done the same way its anointed candidates for Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker were made known.

Nigerian NewsDirect gathered from some anonymous sources that both the Senate President and the Speaker are dancing to the tune of the President Bola Tinubu with the announcement as against the wish of the party chairman, Abdullahi Adamu.

According to Adamu, the announcement is not in line with the party tradition as the final decision will be announced after due consultation with stakeholders.

“You will get an update on the election in the national assembly sharing of powers particularly the leadership of the chambers.

“The remaining offices will be determined later. I had a courtesy call on Saturday by the President of the Senate and his Deputy. The following day which was Sunday, I received a visit by the Speaker and his Deputy Speaker coming to me for Sallah homage.

“But, I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives. The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices and until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practices, it is not our intention to break away from traditions.So whatever announcement is done either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat,” Adamu said.

Addressing the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Adamu said the caucus of the party has been reconstituted and will be working together with them (PGF) for the smooth running of the party.

He added that part of the agenda of the meeting was the financial report of the party since assumption of office of the National Working Committee of the party in March 2022.

“We are going to formally inform you that we are going to have a caucus, and for quite a time, there have been no caucus in place. The caucus has been reconstituted according to the constitution of APC and we will be discussing that with you as governors, you know your states more than we know it.

“Even if we come from the same state, the leadership is in you as Governors. We will hear your advice and then see how we can ensure that we in compliance with the provisions of the constitution of the party.

“We hope that we will be receiving some reports from the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Chairman, or his representative, to get to know about your feelings and what is going on.

“Along with the caucus, the National Advisory Council will give you the list that has been prepared and make sure that every state is represented. And we will give you the knowledge of it and advice.

“You will also be given the benefits of all, the detailed accounts from April 2022, to April 2023. The PCC account has been audited and it has been submitted to the INEC by the party,” Adamu stated.

In his remarks, the Imo State Governor, who doubles as the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Governor Hope Uzodimma commended the leadership of the party, especially President Bola Tinubu for his unprecedented achievements since assumption of office.

He also declared the unalloyed support of the PGF for the party and the Federal Government.

“First, I will start by thanking the Almighty God for making today possible for us to come and meet at this level of our party to discuss the best way of moving our party forward and making it very strong.

“I think we are delighted to be here. We must commend the leadership of our great party, we must commend our new  President, who has started very well. He has been applauded all over the world, for bold decisions and courageous decisions, he has been taking.

“Meetings like this are really meant to brainstorm for us to contribute ideas, not only building our party but building the nation.

“I think that the party has a responsibility working on progressive governors, speaking for all progressive minds in the country, to support the policies and programs of the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu the president.

Uzodimma also noted that the governors are ready to market the policies of the current administration to critical stakeholders, the labour, the political class, the private sector, into understanding the benefits of certain decisions that have been taken off late by the government.

He went further to assure the Chairman of the loyalty of the governors to the ruling party.

“We’re loyal to the party completely, and we assure the leadership of the party that all the governors here are constructive partners to the job of building our party and are willing to work with the party and submit to the ideas and norms of the party.

“We don’t have another party, this party is the largest party in black and white Africa, and we’ll have to run with it,” Uzodimma emphasised.