Issues
Tackling Challenges Facing The 8th National Assembly
Come June 4, Nigerians will witness the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly which will pilot the country’s legislative affairs for the next 4 years after the expiration of the current 7th National Assembly.
Observers are quick to note that the 8th National Assembly will be dominated by All Progressive Congress (APC) members; as opposed to the 7th National Assembly, which is under the control of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As the new National Assembly starts work on June 4, concerned citizens have been expressing some reservations about some leadership tussles that could crop up in the bicameral legislature.
Such fears are quite logical because of the high expectations of Nigerians regarding the incoming government of retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, which is expected to work in concert with the legislature in all nation-building processes.
Observers note that the envisaged leadership tussles and the zoning formula may negatively affect the APC and make its members to lock horns on who get what in the incoming National Assembly.
The APC is naturally expected to produce the leaders of the National Assembly due to the numerical strength of its members in the legislature, as stated by the House Rules, but the party appears to be in a dilemma as to where to zone each of the leadership positions.
The posts that are to be occupied in the National Assembly include the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Leader, Deputy Senate leader, Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief whip.
On the other hand, elections in the House of Representatives have to be made to fill the offices of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, House Leader, Deputy House leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip.
Observers note that the composition of the principal offices in the upper and lower chambers of the legislature, in compliance with the zoning formula, has been a thorny issue facing the APC.
However, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, debunked such speculations, insisting that there was not iota of truth in the hearsay that the party was having problems with how to allocate positions and offices via the zoning formula.
He stressed that all issues of public interest would be handled in a transparent way and conveyed to Nigerians via the usual communication channels.
Nevertheless, the existing tradition requires that six principal offices in the Senate and House of Representatives should be filled on the basis of a zoning principle that accommodates all six geo-political zones of the country.
Analysts note that since President-elect Buhari and his deputy, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, are from the North-West and South-West geo-political zones respectively, the remaining four zones will be considered when other political posts are to be filled.
In a nutshell, the North-East, North-Central, South-East and South-South geo-political zones are expected to receive primary consideration in the nascent power-sharing procedures.
A political analyst, Mr Samuel Akanbi, said that ordinarily, the South-East zone ought to produce the next Senate President but because of the overwhelming support of the people of the zone for the PDP, the zone might have lost out.
He said that the situation could be quite problematic for the APC, while striving to abide by the tradition, because the South-East and South-South zones are not represented in its membership of the 8th Senate.
The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, while reacting to the emerging situation in the National Assembly, described the dilemma facing the party, in terms of ensuring equal representation of all geo-political zones in the legislature’s leadership, as sad.
He conceded that the near absence of APC members from the South-East and South-South zones in the 8th National Assembly was not too good for the party.
Oyegun said that even Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo, who shared similar sentiments, had also expressed the same fears.
“But we thank God we won and the same God will teach us how to go about it at both chambers in our efforts to carry along the two zones, particularly the South-East which has no single APC senator-elect, in the power-sharing processes,’’ he said.
Akanbi said that even though potential contenders to the offices were already showing interest, while lobbying other incoming members of the National Assembly, the APC should, nonetheless, strive to be fair.
Some of the contenders to the Office of the Senate President include Sen. Bukola Saraki (Kwara, North-Central), Sen. George Akume (Benue, North-Central) and Sen. Ahmed Lawan (Yobe, North-East).
On the other hand, contenders to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives include Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos, South-West) and Rep. Yakubu Dogara (Borno, North East), among others.
Nevertheless, an APC chieftain and Coordinator of Muhammadu Buhari Legacy Foundation in North-Central zone, Mr Bode Towoju, said that his party would abide by the zoning principle while considering persons for offices.
He stressed that since both chambers of the National Assembly had the tradition of electing experienced members as their leaders, the APC would strictly adhere to the existing practice.
He underscored the wisdom in sustaining the zoning policy, saying that it would aid efforts to stabilise the polity, as no geo-political zone of the country would be alienated from governance.
An APC senator-elect from Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Mr Sheu Sanni, however, kicked against the notion that experience should always be the primary factor while considering lawmakers for leadership positions in the National Assembly.
“If I have my way, all ‘experienced’ legislators should not hold any leadership position in the 8th National Assembly because they are part of the rot in the country,’’ he said.
A political analyst, Mr Zailani Bappa, said that although the factor of experience could not be jettisoned while considering lawmakers for posts, tangible efforts should, nonetheless, be made to choose candidates with integrity, irrespective of their experience.
He, however, said that the positive inclination of the legislators to make laws that would facilitate national development would play out and set the country on “the path of truth’’.
The Director-General/Chief Convener of Forum of Emerging Young Socio-economic and Political Leaders, a non-governmental organisation, however, warned that the APC must not toy with the idea of jettisoning the zoning formula
He emphasised that the geographical design Nigeria was embedded in zoning, adding that all that the APC needed to do was look for a man of integrity from a particular zone that was expected to occupy a specific post in the National Assembly.
“The APC should look for a man or woman of integrity to pilot the affairs of the National Assembly; no zone has a monopoly of integrity, the party should apply the zoning principle when selecting the Assembly’s leaders,’’ he said.
He, however, underscored the need for the presentation of a credible candidate, who would be acceptable to all party members, by the particular geo-political zone where a position was ceded to.
Thomas said that a situation where one geopolitical zone was allowed to amass immense political power, to the detriment of others, would not augur well with efforts to promote the country’s unity and stability.
He reiterated that pragmatic efforts should be made to promote the principle of equity and fairness in all the country’s governance processes.
He, however, said that from his personal observation and judgment, all those jostling for leadership positions in the National Assembly were men of integrity, adding that certain allegations being levelled against them still remained in the realm of speculation.
All in all, analysts underscore the need to sustain the zoning principle while selecting leaders for the 8th National Assembly, saying that it will aid the fulfilment of Nigeria’s democracy.
Ogunshola writes for News Agency of Nigeria.
This is an open letter to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Your Excellency,
Sir, ordinarily, I would not be writing an open letter to you, but like a wise man once said, “Silence would be Treason.” So I prefer to stay alive than face the consequences of silence in the face of crime. With each passing day, and as the socio-political tides continue to turn, it has become more pertinent that more people speak up in a concerted MANNER to prevent the death of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as we appear to be, in the words of W. B. Yeats, “turning and turning in the widening gyre” heading for an end where the falcon will no longer hear the falconer
It is unfortunate that since losing control of the Federal Government, with the loss of President Goodluck Jonathan at the poll in 2015, our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued on a downward spiral. It is much more painful, that where it is expected that leaders within the party should rise to the challenge and put an end to this decline of our great party, some have instead taken up roles as its undertaker.
It will be hypocritical to claim aloofness to what I believe is your grouse with the PDP and I am not a hypocrite. It will be uncharitable on my part to discountenance the role you have played in strengthening the PDP from 2015 up until the last Presidential primaries of the party. It is my belief that your grouse against certain members of the party who you perceived worked against the party and abandoned it in 2015 and then came around much later to take control of the party, is justified. Also know that your decision to remain in the Party and stifle its progress on the other hand, as a sort of payback, stands condemned. For a man of your pedigree and stature, it is a dishonorable act, highly dishonorable and stands as testimony against all you claim to stand for.
At least, it can be argued that those who you hold this grudge against, abandoned the party completely and did not sit back while actively working to destroy it from within. But what then can be the argument on your own part, seeing that those you are currently working with against your party are the same people who set in motion, and executed surgically, the plans that not only ended our Party’s leadership at the centre, but ended up dislodging the first Niger Deltan to occupy Aso Rock as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Is this not akin to “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face?” That will be worse than folly. Let us not throw away the baby with the bath water because we do not like the soap used in bathing the baby. It will be a grave mistake.
Honourable Minister, sir, it is rather unfortunate that of all people, you have also decided to play the role of an undertaker not only for our party, but for our dear Rivers State.
I will like to take you down memory lane a little. Let me remind you of your emergence as Guber candidate of the PDP in Rivers State, against all fairness and justice in 2014. You will remember that despite the reality being that you as an Ikwerre man was poised to replace a fellow Ikwerre man in Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in our multiethnic state, Rivers people overwhelmingly stood by you and pushed for your emergence as Executive Governor of Rivers State in 2015. I dare say that your popularity in the entire Niger Delta region was at an all-time high at this point.
I want you to understand why you were loved across board leading to your eventual emergence as Governor of Rivers State in 2015; it was because when it looked like all were against the second term ambitions of the first Niger Delta man to emerge as President of Nigeria, you became not just a pillar but a beacon of resistance by standing for Goodluck Jonathan. Rivers people, as grateful and rewarding as they can be, paid you back by ensuring your electoral victory against the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) led by your predecessor. On your emergence, where there were second term Governors in the region, you, a first term Governor, was seen by the people as not just the leader of the PDP, but the leader of the entire Niger Delta region. You earned it, and no one could dispute it.
In 2019, when your re-election bid was being challenged ferociously, Rivers people once again stood solidly behind you. Many were killed in the process of defending your votes. Do you remember Dr. Ferry Gberegbe that was shot and killed while trying to protect your votes in Khana Local Government Area? There are many more unnamed and unrecognised sons and daughters of Rivers State who sacrificed their lives so that you could emerge as a second term Governor of Rivers State.
In 2022/23, Honourable Minister, you oversaw a party primary across board that saw some candidates imprisoned and internal party democracy jettisoned for your wishes, leading to the emergence of flag bearers of our party all singlehandedly picked by you. You have on more than one occasion publicly stated that you paid for all their forms. Even those shortchanged in this process licked their wounds and continued to play their roles as party members to ensure the success of the party at all levels. In what will go down as one of the most keenly contested elections in recent Rivers history, with formidable candidates like Senator Magnus Abe of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the vibrant youth driven Labour Party (LP), PDP emerged victorious across board except for Phalga Constituency 1 that was lost to the Labour Party. (Not that you did not loose in some other LGA’s but let’s stick to the official figures declared by INEC).
It begs the question, why then do you want to burn down Rivers State, when everyone who now holds political office emerged through a process designed and endorsed by you? Is it that you do not care about Rivers people and you are all about yourself? If so, I am forced to believe that those around you are not telling you the truth. The truth being that in a state where your words were law; where houses and businesses could be demolished or closed down without any recourse to legalities, where Executive Orders could be deployed to stifle the opposition, that your popularity is now at an all-time low. Probably because they are afraid of you, or of losing the benefits they gain from you, they fail to tell you that what you might perceive as a battle against your successor, has slowly but gradually degenerating into a battle against Rivers State and Rivers people. You know, there is a popular saying that, a man can cook for the community and the community will finish the food, but when a community decides to cook for one man, the reverse is the case.
LEAVE FUBARA ALONE
You have gone on and on about being betrayed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. You point fingers forgetting that some of those same fingers quick to spot betrayals point straight back at you. It is not Governor Fubara that has betrayed the PDP by working against it in the just concluded General Election, and working with the opposition at the State and Federal level to destabilise the party. It is you, Honourable Minister. It is not Governor Fubara that betrayed Rivers people by instigating a political crisis with propensity to escalate ethnic tensions in Rivers State. It is you Honourable Minister. It is not Governor Fubara that has declared himself God over all in Rivers State and has no qualms with burning the state to the ground to prove a point. It is you Honourable Minister. It is you Honourable Minister who told the world that the APC was a cancer and you can never support a cancerous party. It is you Honourable Minister who ended up facilitating the emergence of the same “cancerous” APC that has accelerated the economic decline of this country and further impoverished our people with no remorse. All so you can be a Minister of the Federal Capital Territory? The lack of self awareness is gobsmacking.
Some days back I came across a video where you talked about death and how you do not cry when you hear about the death of some people because you have no idea what might have caused it considering many a politician swear “over dead bodies” and still go back on their words. Those words made me think, and I could see the reason behind them. You see, in chosing to be God in the affairs of Rivers people, you have closed your eyes and ears to reason; you see nothing and hear nothing that can cause you to rethink on the path you have chosen. In your quest to “show Fubara” you have unwittingly united a vast majority of Rivers people behind him, so much that even those who despised him because of you, now like or love him, because of you too. In your scheming, I will advise you not to forget that “the voice of the people is the voice of God”.
Note that the war which you have or are waging against Governor Fubara, has gone beyond being merely political as you might see in your minds eye. It is now one that, fortunately for some and unfortunately for others, has evolved into a war against Rivers people. It is good to point out that no one has taken a stand against Rivers people and won. No one has gone against God and won. In your defiant characteristic manner, it will be unfortunate if you believe your own hubris and that of those around you on the possibility of you being the first to successfully go against Rivers people. It will be a needless gamble; one where if you win you create more enemies for yourself than you can withstand on your political journey, and if you lose, your legacy becomes an inglorious and irredeemable one in Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and Nigeria at large. For your sake as regards posterity, it is my greatest wish that you have a moment of sobriety and a deep reflection and introspection on this path you have chosen.
Honourable Minister, sir, what is left of your legacy is on the brink of being completely desecrated and relegated to the dustbin of our political history, and it will be a sad end to what I will say has been a wonderful political career that many can only dream of. The ball is in your court, and may God Almighty have mercy on us all and forgive us for our shortcomings.
Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson
Dr Pidomson is former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and former member, Rivers State House of Assembly.
In 2015, I made a conscious decision to invest my financial resources, my time, and energy into supporting Nyesom Wike’s gubernatorial campaign. I poured my heart and soul into ensuring Nyesom Wike emerged victorious even at the risk of my personal safety.
Again in 2019, I doubled down on my commitment. I invested a significant amount of money to procure campaign outfits for all twenty-three Local Governments Areas of Rivers State. I spared no expense in supplementing Wike’s election efforts in my own local government, and once again putting myself at great risk to safeguard the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
However, despite my unwavering loyalty and sacrifices, I found myself abandoned and forgotten by Wike. Throughout his eight-year tenure, he failed to acknowledge my contributions or fulfill his promises and agreements. Even as a former Deputy Governor, Wike denied me my severance benefit.
My investment in Wike’s governorship was not just financial – it was a commitment of passion, dedication, and belief in a better future for Rivers State. Yet, his leadership style of dishonesty, greed, drunkenness and rash abuse of senior citizens brought me nothing but disappointment, misery and losses.
By the grace of God, today I speak not as a victim, but as a hero. I have accepted my losses, and I have moved on. And as I reflect on my experience, I cannot help but urge Wike to do the same and allow peace and development to reign in Rivers State.
Nyesom Wike, when you speak of investing in Governor Sim Fubara’s election, remember those like me who also invested in you. Remember the sacrifices I made, the risks I took, and the promises and agreements you left unfulfilled.
It is time for you, Wike, to let go of the past and allow Governor Sim Fubara the breathing space he needs to lead Rivers State forward. Allow him to focus on the challenges of good governance and the aspirations of the people. Spare him these unwarranted and ill-conceived political manoeuvrings founded on personal agenda and not for general good of Rivers State and her people.
I may have lost my investment on Wike, but I have not lost hope in the future of Rivers State. And together, we will continue to strive for a brighter tomorrow.
Long Live the Governor to Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara!
Long Live the Good People of Rivers State!!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
Engr Ikuru is former Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
Tele Ikuru
