10th NASS Leadership: Buhari withholds endorsement, directs lobbyists to Chief of Staff
…APC chieftain cautions against cash and carry leadership
BY TOM OKPE and ORIAKU IJELE
Politicians eyeing leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly are currently at sea, regarding President Buhari’s position on their individual aspirations.
Daily Times learnt that in spite of playing host to a number of them who have visited to intimate him of their aspirations, President Buhari in his usual nature is yet to give anyone a firm promise. Rather, Daily Times was informed that he seems to be shoving them to his Chief of Staff, Prof. Gambari.
While the race is on, a great majority of those jostling for positions believe that President Buhari, whose tenure ends on May 29 still has a lot of influence to wield in shepherding the lawmakers of APC to vote in one accord, but the President is avoiding exercising such privileges. “The contestants are confused indeed. It is bad time for them, and in the midst of all these, he has embarked on a foreign trip, even as the lobbying continues. But trust Nigerian politicians and their desperation, they will wait for him to return to continue their lobbying”, the source revealed.
In another development, an APC chieftain, Salihu Lukman, who is the National Vice Chairman, North-West of the ruling party has warned that 10th National Assembly Leadership aspirants, aspiring for the position on a cash-and -carry basis will be disloyal to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led Administration, when sworn in in May, 29th 2023.
He said unfolding developments around the contest is quite worrisome, saying; “apart from the clear disregard for national unity and outright disrespect for Nigerians, especially the persons of Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, being the President-elect and Vice-President-elect respectively, some of the aspiring candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives are neither concerned about the security and well-being of Nigeria nor, are they in anyway disturbed about factors that could erode the electoral viability of our party – APC.”
READ ALSO: Development: Islamic cleric charges political leaders.
In a statement he signed from his Kaduna office on Monday, the former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, (PGF) said these are aspiring candidates for these positions, two of them Muslims from North-West aspiring for the position of Senate President and one of them from North-East aspiring for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, who are desperately mobilising support in unethical manner without any regard or respect to the party and its leadership.
“In order therefore, to force their way and weaken the party, they are proceeding with mobilising support for their aspirations in a very unethical manner.
“Some of them, including another aspirant for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives from the North-West have sent bags of rice and sugar to members of the APC National Working Committee, (NWC).
“There are speculations that some of them are bribing party leaders with huge amounts of money to stop the party from zoning positions.
“There are also disturbing reports from House of Representatives members-elect that one aspirant for the position of Speaker from North-East apart from bribing members-elect with huge amounts of money is also offering jeeps to members-elect if they will commit to electing him as the Speaker.
“This has reduced the contest for the leadership of 10th National Assembly to Cash-and-Carry.”
He advised that all APC leaders and members should be called upon to intervene individually and collectively and kindly call all aspiring candidates for leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly to strictly conduct themselves ethically with the highest respect for Nigerians and in compliance with the provisions of the constitutions of both the APC and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which compels everyone to promote national unity and peaceful co-existence of the country.
“Promoting national unity under the Tinubu-led Federal Government to be inaugurated on May 29 would require that, at the minimum, the Senate President should be a Christian from either the South-East or South-South.
“In addition, any candidate who is mobilising support based on cash-and-carry methods will not be loyal to Tinubu-led government and therefore, a potential risk to such a government.
“Everything must be done to ensure that the configuration of the Asiwaju Tinubu-led Federal Government command, the support of all Nigerians irrespective of our differences.”
