Those anticipating that the selection of the next Senate president or Speaker of the House of Representatives would be by mere imposition may have had their hopes dashed.
President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared yesterday that he has no preferred candidates for the leadership of the incoming 10th National Assembly.
The governing party said these leadership positions would not be determined by sectional or tribal affiliations.
Tinubu told the new federal lawmakers elected on the APC platform that he has no preferred candidates for any of the principal offices of the 10th assembly.
He spoke through the vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima, during a meeting of the party’s national working committee (NWC) and the new federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the party at the presidential villa.
He however said the party leadership was still consulting to ensure the APC emerges victorious in next Saturday’s governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.
Also speaking at the event, national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, ruled out the possibility of picking principal officers of the 10th National Assembly based on religion or tribe.
Adamu was reacting to speculations regarding the individuals who will assume the roles of Senate president and Speaker in the 10th National Assembly.
According to Adamu, the party is not comfortable with the tone of some persons seeking leadership positions in the National Assembly.
He said, “The news media, especially the social media, are full of speculations of some of you jostling for leadership positions in the national assembly.
“This is not unusual. People have the right to struggle for positions of leadership for which they believe they are eminently qualified.
“But we, in the national working committee of the party, are not comfortable with the tone adopted by those who seek those offices. Those offices are not tribal or sectional rights and must not be so portrayed.
“We would like to offer a word of caution to all of you in this regard. It may be good to start early but sometimes when you start too early you jump the gun and court unintended consequences that may cause nasty divisions in the party and thus affect its health.
Adamu further stated that leadership positions at the national level are a delicate matter and must not be approached with levity or lack of seriousness.
He continued: “It may be good to start early but it is wiser to be patient. Some of you may recall what happened to the party and the National Assembly in 2015 when some members of the national legislature chose not to wait for the decision of the president and the party in sharing those offices.
“It created bad blood within the party and between the executive and the legislature. I urge us not to regress”.
The national chairman added that the president-elect and the party leadership would make appropriate consultations in working out a formula for sharing those offices.
“I assure you that whatever sharing formula the party and the president-elect arrive at will be fair, just, equitable, and satisfy the majority of our members,” he added.
Admitting that the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections were not perfect, Adamu however said the polls passed the credibility test.
He said for the first time in living memory in respect of elections in Nigeria, there were no allegations of vote-buying and outcry over all the other ills associated with the conduct of our elections.
His words: “It is fair and honourable to admit that the February 25 elections were not perfect. We did not set out to conduct perfect elections. World history has no instances of perfect elections.
“Like all other democratic nations, we set out to conduct free, fair, and credible elections. This we did.
“I am proud to say we achieved this feat and delivered on the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the people. For the first time in living memory in respect of our elections, there were no allegations of vote-buying and outcry over all the other ills associated with the conduct of our elections.
“Rigging may not be dead, but it has been decapitated. Our democracy is maturing, and we are maturing with it.
He further pointed out that from the results of February 25, 2023, general elections announced so far by INEC, the APC won the presidency clean and clear, and a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.
“We chose not to rout the other political parties because they are our partners in our national progress and development. I look forward to the governorship and state houses of assembly elections on March 18. I am sure the results will make our victory even sweeter,” he stated.
Adamu said the party deemed it necessary to convene the meeting for three critical reasons.
First, he said the meeting was convened for the NWC, which is the organ charged with the day-to-day running of the Party to welcome the new lawmakers for and on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to the APC family and to impress upon them the fact that APC is much more than a political party.
He said, “The elections at the national level are over. We are now in the critical phase of forming a government. It is a tough phase because whatever we decide from this moment will make or mar the new administration. It is not our portion, Mr. President-elect.
“We would like to emphasise teamwork. Neither as president nor as legislators can any one of you go it alone. Once the President and Vice-President are sworn-in and the National Assembly is inaugurated, each of you becomes the face of our government, just as each of you becomes the face of our party in governance.
“Whatever you do and whatever you fail to do will either impact positively or negatively on the interests of the party as a family. Let us remember this in all that we shall be doing in each of the two arms of government, to wit, the executive and the legislature,” he said.
Adamu added that the president-elect needs help in putting together a new national team that will help him make a positive difference in the institution of good governance.
“I know his policies will be guided by the party manifesto. I urge you, as legislators, to familiarise yourselves with the party manifesto and our President’s plan of action so that you understand your role and appreciate why certain decisions are taken by the president.
“Second, a democratic government is a government freely instituted by the people. A government of the people by the people is a servant of the people in the service of the people. We must never lose sight of what this entails in our form of government.
“Despite your wealth and your sartorial elegance, you still must be prepared to dirty your hands in serving the people. You must not relish your bigmanism at the expense of the interests and the hopes of the people who gave us the vote. On the day you received the people’s vote you signed a binding sacred social contract with them”, he said.
Adamu further said for the president-elect and vice-president-elect, the task ahead of them is huge and even frightening.
“This is the time for you and the party to gird your loins and focus on hitting the ground running from May 29, 2023.
“I know you are men with a purpose. I know that you are driven by the love of the people and the country in seeking this exalted office. I salute you and give you my blessings and the blessings of the national executive committee and the national working committee of our Party.
“Let me draw attention to the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for March 18, 2023.
“I urge you to return to your respective states and give all the necessary cooperation to the Party and APC candidates contesting the elections. There must be no misunderstanding between the state teams and yourselves that may affect the fortunes of the Party at the elections.
“You must therefore join hands with the existing structures in the state to bring victory for our Party. I wish you luck,” he said.
