Politics
Senate, Reps’ Aspirants Besiege Presidency …Lobby Govs Over NASS Positions
All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers aspiring to presiding positions in the Senate and House of Representatives have intensified their campaigns ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly.
Senators-elect on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also said they will weigh the offers on the table from the three APC senators aspiring to become the Senate President before adopting one of them.
The Tide source learnt that the APC lawmakers had taken their campaigns beyond the National Assembly.
While some are lobbying newly elected members, others are reaching out to the APC National Working Committee and presidency.
The PDP senators, who spoke with The Tide source on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Senators Ahmed Lawan, Ali Ndume, and Danjuma Goje had been having regular discussions with them.
They also confirmed that they had given their terms and that the aspirants agreed to honour their part of the deal if elected.
Speaking to the source in a telephone interview, a source in the camp of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta-Central) said the lawmaker was lobbying the Presidency and the APC NWC after indications emerged that the Deputy Senate Presidency would be zoned to the South-South.
According to the source, “Omo-Agege has reached out to other critical stakeholders outside the chamber and he now has the full backing of the Presidential Villa and the National Chairman (of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole). The issue is settled. The Deputy Senate presidency has been zoned to the South-South; it is true.”
The source also said Omo- Agege’s only South-South opponent in the race for the Deputy Senate presidency, Senator Francis Alimikhena, is from the same local government area with Oshiomhole in Edo State, which would be considered in the zoning plan.
Omo-Agege neither confirmed nor denied the steps he was said to have taken to achieve his aim. “I’m reaching out like every other aspirant,” he said.
Another aspirant to the Deputy Senate presidency, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, also wrote to senators-elect to congratulate them on their victory at the polls and sought their support for his ambition.
Boroffice, representing Ondo North Senatorial District, is one of the three ranking senators from the South-West to be in the 9th Senate.
In the letter, the lawmaker partly wrote: “With an excellent public service record, rich legislative experience and amiable personae, I consider myself the best candidate for the office of the Deputy Senate President.
“In spite of our different backgrounds, religious beliefs and political inclinations, the business of national lawmaking has pulled us together as friends and colleagues. I humbly seek your cooperation, support and prayers in this election. Together, we shall succeed.”
In the House, an aspirant from Oyo State, Mr Olusegun Odebunmi, who is Gbajabiamila’s only opponent in the South-West, hinted that he was reaching out to northern states.
When contacted on the telephone earlier on Tuesday, Odebunmi said: “As I am talking to you now, I am on my way from Katsina State and it is about my project. I won’t make the details public for now.”
Efforts to contact him since Tuesday to speak more on his campaign were not successful as the lawmaker did not return calls to comment.
Meanwhile, another aspirant from Niger State (North-Central), Mr Mohammed Bago, last Saturday visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to seek his support.
A statement by spokesman for the Bago Campaign Organisation, Mr Victor Ogene, quoted Oba Ogunwusi as saying that to avoid a lacuna in the administration of the country, youths must be encouraged to assume leadership.
“Yes, we now have a ‘Not-too-young-to-run’ law but to complement that, we need to consciously bring the youths into leadership positions,” the Ooni was quoted as saying.
However, the PDP senators-elect, who spoke with one of our correspondents last Saturday, said a recent statement by the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, on the issue appeared to have affected their relationships with the aspirants.
Oshiomhole had said that the leaders who would emerge on his party’s platform in the 9th National Assembly would not share power with the PDP lawmakers, who he called “the devils”.
A PDP senator-elect from the South-West, who spoke on condition of anonymity: told The Tide source “Oshiomhole seems to have truncated the discussions we have had with the aspirants. I was one of those who argued that the PDP should not produce a candidate for the presiding positions after listening to the APC aspirants.
“The three of them have good programmes and agenda, but it appears that the APC leadership would have an overwhelming influence on the chamber, which is supposed to be independent.”
A grassroots organisation known as Sir Siminalayi Fubara Peace Initiative, Friends For Good Governance, has passed a confidence vote on the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara over his development strides in the state within a short time in office.
Apart from the numerous development projects embarked upon by the governor in the state, the body expressed delight over the recent payment of N85,000.00 minimum wage to civil servants in the State to reduce the economic burden of workers and their dependants.
Spokesperson of the organisation, Chief Felix Ologara, who addressed newsmen in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area described Governor Fubara’s administration as the most compassionate, peace-loving and labour-friendly in Nigeria.
Coordinator of the NGO, Comrade Felix Nnaa, also lauded the governor of Rivers State for staying focused on the development of the state despite the challenges by detractors of his administration.
The NGO also commended the newly elected local government chairmen in the state, particularly the chairman of Khana LGA, Hon Martin Nwigbo and his Tai counterpart, Hon Mathew Dike for modelling their leadership style after Governor Fubara’s in providing essential services to the people.
On his part, the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Hon. Martins Nwigbo, who also spoke with the press assured that his administration will give priority attention to the development of Khana, particularly in providing security, economic empowerment, human capital development and restoration of power in the area.
Former President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Atuboyedia Obianime, has called for a people centred governance in Nigeria.
Prof. Obianime said this at the Rivers Liberation Summit and Awards organised by the Ijaw Wari Initiative Worldwide in Port Harcourt.
He said projects execution are good but government must come up with policies that will create employment opportunities for the people.
The former INC president particularly urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, to revive all moribund industries with the view to creating jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state and stressed the need for the revamping of the agricultural sector in the state.
Also speaking, a former chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Dr Sam Sam Jaja, said the Ijaws will never surrender their rights for any reason.
“We know where we come from and we know where we are now; we know the battle we fought and we know the battle we are still fighting and one thing is very important among us, we will never surrender our rights for any reason”, he said.
Dr Jaja said the Ijaws have been known to fight against oppression and marginalisation and commended the Ijaw Wari Initiative for complementing the INC.
“What we are doing today is to honour Ijaw sons and daughters who deserve to be honoured and of course we have one of our elderly sons to tell us what we have done in terms of pursuing leadership”, he added.
He also described the Ijaws as symbols of leadership, adding: “it starts from us and it will continue to remain with us for a long time”
Dr Jaja also declared that with an Ijaw man at the saddle of leadership in the State, the people will see a new phase of governance, adding that areas neglected will be touched, while expressing optimism that the event would equip the participants to face the challenges ahead.
In his welcome address, the president of Ijaw Wari Initiative Worldwide, Somina Wokoma, said the event was to “commemorate the October 30th, 2023, failed attempt to impeach our dear Governor which marked a turning point in our democratic journey”.
“As we converge on this epoch making occasion, we celebrate the triumph of democracy, people oriented leadership and the resilience of Rivers people”, he said.
John Bibor
A non- governmental organisation in Rivers State, the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force ( (NDPVF), Opobo/Nkoro Chapter, has tasked Chairmen of the 23 Local Government Areas of the State to urgently focus on aggressive infrastructural and human capital development projects.
This is contained in a statement released by the group in Port Harcourt shortly after her Chapter Executive Council ( CEC) meeting in Opobo Town, and signed by its Coordinator, Commander Idawari Brown; Secretary, Comrade Success Dinne Ebranga and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Lucky Ubani.
The group urged the chairmen and councillors to be proactive in the discharge of their assignment of dispensing quality service delivery in their areas of jurisdiction and admonished them to follow the leadership example of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“There is need for the Chairmen of various Councils in the state to ensure that they emulate the leadership style of the governor by building bridges of transformation, human capital development and youth inclusiveness in governance of their LGAs”, the statement said.
The group further admonished the chairmen of the various councils and their Councillors to put in their best in the leadership of their local areas for the well-being of the people.
“The people are in dire need of your contributions for better development bridges in terms of even distribution of development projects and programmes that will have direct- bearings on the people’s welfare and lives.
“They should include those who have what it takes to develop the areas through their contributions to move the area forward developmentally.
“We urge the chairmen of various councils and their councillors not to appoint anybody on political patronage in order to siphon the treasury of the councils.
“We would not tolerate this lackluster attitude from any council chairmen Councillors. The real thing should be done through those with leadership expertise and are ever ready to join forces with them to build a pleasant and virile Local Government Areas administration for posterity.
By: Bethel Toby