* As Senate Adjourns To July 21
Teddy Oscar, Abuja
The National Assembly leadership tussle got more interesting on Thursday with the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, commencing the Plenary by reading out the nominations and endorsements of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East, North-West and South-South caucuses as contained in their letters to him.
This was even as Saraki snubbed the leadership of the APC led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for the second time in 48 hours, and refused to read a letter from its National Chairman regarding the Party’s stand on the floor of the Upper Chamber.
Following the letters zonal caucuses, Senator Ali Ndume from North-East was named the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah from North-West was named the Deputy Leader, while Senator Francis Alimikhena from South-South was named the Deputy Whip.
The position of the Chief Whip was, however, left unoccupied as members of the South-West caucus, which should produce a representative, did not write any letter.
The South-West caucus, however, claimed that the Party’s decision, as contained in its letter to the Senate President, was sufficient.
This was sequel to two points of order that were raised by Senator Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara Central.
The first point was Order 28(1), while the second one was on Section 65(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“There should be a majority leader of the Senate, who should be a senator nominated from the party with the highest number of senators. This point of order was raised yesterday, and another colleague raised another point of order distinguishing between the word, from and by.
“That is why I am joining it with order 65(1) of the Constitution. It says subject to the provisions of Section 66 of the Constitution, a person shall be qualified for election as a member of the Senate, if he or she is a member of a political party and sponsored by the political party.
“There is a communication from the APC, which is the party with the majority representatives in the Senate. However, for reasons best known to you, Mr. President, you declined to read it yesterday on the floor of the Senate.
“When your attention was drawn to the communication (letter) from the Party. The Constitution provision just cited, clearly put the party ahead of any other caucus from anywhere.
“Therefore, if the communication from the party can so be regarded, I suggest that you, Mr. President cannot read any communication from any caucus because there is no caucus that is bigger than the political party,” Marafa said.
But Senator Danjuma Goje from Gombe Central countered Marafa.
“Senator Marafa raised the same order yesterday, and the Senate President ruled that the issue had been discussed and should not be opened again. I don’t know why the issue is being reopened.
“This is contrary to the Rules of the Senate. We are the highest law-making institution in the country. If we cannot observe our rules, we don’t have rights to be making laws for the country. Therefore, I will like Mr. President to stand by the ruling of yesterday that the issue had been settled.
“Secondly, the issue of leadership within the chamber is our own responsibility as senators. We have been sponsored by political parties to come to the Senate. Nobody or law says the Chairman of the party should appoint the Senate President.
“The law clearly states that we, the senators, should appoint our own leaders within the chambers. This is the first time this type of things will be happening in the Senate since the return of democracy in 1999. Caucuses have been nominating their leaders, and I have been participating,” he submitted.
In his ruling, Saraki said: “Let me refer to Order 53(6), which states that it will be out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific question upon which the Senate has come to a conclusion. This matter had already been raised and ruled upon. Also, Order 25(3, 8), which talks about interpretation of rules. On these two issues, I will have to rule Senator Marafa out of order”.
Thereafter, after the Senate had considered two motions, Ndume announced the adjournment of the Senate to July 21.
Ndume, however, pointed out that apart from the plenaries that would not hold until when the senators reconvene in about a month’s time, ad hoc committees would be busy with their schedules.
He also added that the Senate may be forced to reconvene on short notice to deliberate on urgent issues, if need be.
It would be recalled that the APC Senate caucus had met on Wednesday evening, where the zonal caucuses had nominated and endorsed their chosen candidates for the remaining key leadership positions of the Senate.
It would also that Senator Olusola Adeyeye from Osun Central was unanimously endorsed by the South-West caucus of the APC as the Chief Whip of the Senate.
