The leadership of the National Assembly is set to present the new principal officers to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today (Wednesday) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Recall that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC- Ekiti) as Senate Leader, Sen. David Umahi (APC-Ebonyi) as the Deputy Leader, Sen. Mohammed Ndume (APC-Borno) as the Chief Whip; and Sen. Lola Ashiru (APC-Kwara) as the Deputy Chief Whip.
Akpabio also named Plateau North lawmaker Mwadkwon Davou as Minority Leader, while Senator 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.
While in the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, announced Julius Ihonvbere as House Leader, Abdullahi Halims as the Deputy House Leader, Usman Kumo as the Chief Whip, and Adewunmi Onanuga as the Deputy Whip.
The Speaker also named Kingsley Chinda as the Minority House Leader, Ali Madaki as the Deputy House Leader, Ali Isa as the Minority House Chief Whip, and George Ozodinobi as the Deputy Whip.
Speaking with The Nation on the condition of anonymity, an APC chieftain said the National Assembly has resolved to present its new principal officers to President Tinubu on Wednesday (today).
He added that Akpabio and Abbas have the backing of the Presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum on the harmonised list of principal officers.
He said: “The National Assembly has the backing of the Presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum on the harmonised list of principal officers.
“The APC caucuses in the National Assembly amicably agreed on the list of the principal officers and no one can stop it.
“Even when there were issues with Sen. Ali Ndume as the second-ranking Senator after Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Senators prevailed on the Borno South Senator to accept to serve under Sen. Bamidele. Ndume bowed to pressure and accepted to be Senate Chief Whip.
“As the party’s national chairman, Adamu cannot overrule the decision of the APC caucuses in the Senate and the House of Representatives. There is no provision in the APC Constitution giving him such power.
“The National Assembly has resolved to present its new principal officers to President Tinubu on Wednesday (today).
“Adamu complained of inadequate communication but he shouldn’t have gone to the extent of overruling the National Assembly in public on the selection of the principal officers.”
