The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Tuesday, rejected the new leadership of the National Assembly announced by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Adamu said the party was not officially informed about the sharing of the offices, describing the report of the emergence of principal officers as a rumour.
The party chair spoke at a crucial meeting of the National Working Committee and APC governors at the party secretariat in Abuja hours after the Senate President named Ekiti Central lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, as the 10th Senate Majority Leader.
Akpabio also announced Senator Dave Umahi ( Ebonyi South) as Deputy Majority Leader; Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip, and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as the Deputy Whip.
He also named Plateau North lawmaker, Mwadkwon Davou as Minority Leader while Osun West lawmaker, Kamorudeen Olarere (PDP Osun West) emerged as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Also, Darlington Nwokeocha, (LP Abia Central) was named Minority Whip while Rufai Hanga (NNPP Kano Central) was the Deputy Minority Whip.
In similar develop , the lower chamber, Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker, announced Julius ihonvbere lawmaker representing Owan east/Owan west of Edo as the majority leader; and Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims, legislator representing Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro of Kogi, as the deputy majority leader.
The speaker also named Bello Usman Kumo, representing Akko federal constituency of Gombe as the chief whip; and Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo north federal constituency in Ogun, as the deputy chief whip.
The speaker also named Bello Usman Kumo, representing Akko federal constituency of Gombe as the chief whip; and Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo north federal constituency in Ogun, as the deputy chief whip.
Adamu however declared the exercise and outcome as null and void, arguing that due process was not followed. According to him the tradition empowered the party the mandate to decide and present the list after due consultations in their party.
Though it was earlier reported that there was an alteration in the proceedings before the emergence of the principal officers which birthed concensus agreement between lawmakers and candidates nominated for the positions in consultations with the political parties.
So, the Senate President simply read out the names of the selected lawmakers.
The APC chairman promised that the party would make an official announcement when the decision on the sharing formula of the principal offices had been determined.
Regardless of the ruling party’s position, several governors and lawmakers are backing the National Assembly leaders’ decision and they have also endorsed the new principal officers.
Responding, Bamidele emphasized that there were due consultations which necessitated the caucus early visit to the party chairman’s home country in nassarawa while the same set of people visited President Tinubu during the Sallah festivities in Lagos to consult and present themselves to him.
