As the race to lead the 9th Senate gathers momentum, support for various interests have surfaced, especially in the mode of article and stories in the media space.
The public space has also been inundated with the ongoing campaigns for principal positions of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
Since the conclusion of the general elections, attentions have gradually shifted to the struggle to control the legislative arm of government. This is more so following the chaotic working relationship between the National Assembly and the executive arm of government in the last four years. Keen observers of the polity have since admonished the ruling party not to repeat the mistake of 2015 that allowed a rebellious group hijack the control of the legislative arm.
Incidentally, like in 2015, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC retained majority seats in both chambers and could claim the right to provide leadership for the bicameral assembly. But as bitter experience has taught the party leaders a majority in the legislature doesn’t guarantee harmonious interaction between the two important arms of government.
In the last four years, the Senator Bukola Saraki led National Assembly placed numerous stumbling blocks on the paths of several requests by President Muhammadu Buhari that required legislative approvals.
However, unfolding intrigues indicate that some of the APC senators that connived with Saraki in 2015 to thwart the resolution of the party on leadership of the National Assembly are set to reenact the scenario.
It could be recalled that in 2015, the APC conducted a mock election for its two major aspirants for the position of Senate President, which was won by Senator Ahmed Lawan. The attempt by the party to avoid a rancorous election process was however subverted by a group of its senators, led by Senator Saraki.
Party supremacy was thrown to the dogs, when on June 9, 2015 the group of senators defied the party and colluded with the opposition PDP to produce presiding officers for the Senate. The rebellion benefited the PDP which was rewarded with the position of deputy president of Senate. The rest is now history, conclusively Saraki later crossed to the PDP, effectively depriving the majority party the leadership position.
A recent unsavoury narrative against Senator Lawan published in the Daily Trust of Friday, March 15, is an indication that the same group of senators are bent on once again creating a division within the APC. The publication couldn’t have come to most keen observers of the polity by surprise.
The article most probably sponsored to promote the aspiration of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume from Borno State did not fail to expose the animosity the senator still harbours for Lawan, since his unceremonious dumping as leader of the red chamber. Ndume was one of the key supporters of Saraki in 2015 against the will of the APC and he remained loyal to Saraki until an internal disagreement within their camp forced an unexpected change.
After falling apart with Saraki, who he supported against Lawan in 2015, Ndume had seen Lawan as the architect of his downfall. The writer of the published article mentioned the Ndume saga, while pointing an accusing finger at Lawan. But the APC as a party was never comfortable having a ‘disloyal’ member as leader of its caucus in the Senate, hence the consistent push by then leaders of the party to extricate him from the position. Before his removal as Senate leader, Ndume was an ardent supporter of Saraki. He was one of the many senators that regularly accompanied the Senate President to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, during his trial. That act was seen at that time as a show of loyalty to Saraki.
Ndume was undoubtedly one of the rebellious senators that worked against the resolution of the party that endorsed Lawan as Senate President in 2015. He was part of the Saraki group that connived with the PDP to subvert the supremacy of the APC. He even worked against the emergence of a Senate President from his own Northeast zone for selfish reason. When his attempt at becoming deputy Senate president failed woefully, Ndume was rewarded with the position of majority leader under Saraki. It is on record that it was during Ndume’s reign as Senate leader when every executive request was denied. He did not become a supporter of Mr. President until after his removal as Senate leader.
He was rejected by the APC and its caucus in the Senate. And after several months of horse trading, the Saraki camp dumped Ndume and succumbed to the demands by the party to have Lawan as leader of the Senate. That singular occurrence may have remained the major reason for the recent attack and more that are likely to follow on the Senate presidency bid by Senator Lawan.
The APC can not afford to completely trust senators known to move with the tide in the past. While Senator Lawan has consistently remained loyal to his party, same can certainly not be said of Ndume, who was at some point a member of the PDP. While serving as a PDP senator, he was prevented from assuming position of deputy leader, when the then majority party rather settled for Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi State. The race for Senate presidency is an open contest. All 109 senators elect have the rights to either vote or be voted. It is therefore inappropriate that the tactics of any team is to begin with an attack on a perceived co-contender. A candidate rather than attack opponents should showcase unique selling points attractive enough to garner support of distinguished senators.
Senator Lawan is not only the most experience of all the APC senators, having spent 20 years in the National Assembly, his loyalty to party supremacy is not in doubt. He has shown capacity as a team player by collapsing his personal ambition to work with his major adversary during the campaign for senate presidency in 2015. His ability to work peacefully with Saraki is an indication of his readiness to put national interest above personal ambition. As Senate leader, he stood firm and thwarted the mass exodus of senators from APC at the height of the power game orchestrated by Saraki. He was able to convince several senators to remain in the party, even after some of them decamped. This was evident when he led dozens of senators to meet with the President in a show of solidarity not just to the party but as a major contribution to peace and stability of the country.
The call for Lawan to re-contest the position is more of a popular yearning by a large segment of the public willingly expressed. Not even senator Lawan could stop those that appreciate his capacity, experience and loyalty to his party from drumming support for his candidature. Supporters of Ndume and any other senator that seek leadership of the red chamber should dwell on the onerous task of convincing majority of men and women of calibre and immense experience that would make up the 9th Senate. Engaging in pull him down approach is a cheap approach bound to hit the rocks.
Solomon a public affairs commentator wrote this piece from Suleja in Niger State.
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