Abaribe to Oshiomhole: You are demarketing APC
…As 3 Niger senators endorse Lawan
Tom Okpe, Abuja, & Saka Bolaji, Minna
Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of demarketing the ruling party, saying that he has no part in deciding on the Senate leadership.
He also said the ruling party national chairman is not representing the party positively, adding that “Oshiomhole has no right to choose or select executive members of the Senate, since he is not part of the upper chamber. “
Abaribe, a Peoples Democratic Senator speaking on Sunday with journalists, said: “He (Oshiomhole) is making the PDP members think twice about whoever the APC is bringing up.
“I had cause at one time to advise Oshiomhole not to be so garrulous in his statements and I think he hasn’t learnt any lessons. You don’t choose for us or determine for us who becomes what in the senate.
“I think because he has never been a member of the parliament, he just doesn’t want to take advice from those who have been in the National Assembly.
“Even the Senate president cannot sit down and say ‘I give you this ABCD’. It never happens. There is always a committee that is called the selection committee.
“Oshiomhole is de-marketing his party and actually making the PDP members to think twice about whoever the APC is bringing up. This decision, as I said, will be done on the floor of the Senate.
“Like Senator Ali Ndume has earlier said, it is not constitutional for somebody to wake up and begin to talk to you from outside that he wants to determine what happens in an exclusive club where the person is not a member”, he said.
As whether the Peoples Democratic Party will come up with a candidate for the Senate leadership, Abaribe said: “Well, I can say that all of us are consulting. It is not the APC only that is consulting; we are also consulting”.
Meanwhile, a group stormed the National Assembly on Thursday, April 4, to drum support for the emergence of Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje as the next Senate president.
The APC earlier endorsed Senator Ahmen Lawan as the rightful candidate to lead the 9th National Assembly when inaugurated in May, 2019
However, the three Senators elected on the platform of the all Progressives Congress (APC) from Niger State have after due consultations and considerations and in recognition of the supremacy of the party, thrown their support behind Senator Ahmed Lawan.
The position of the three senators was made known in a statement jointly signed by them and released to newsmen in Minna at the weekend.
According to the senators, they believe Lawan has the competence, charisma and integrity to preside over the affairs of the Senate.
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa – Niger East Senatorial District declared: “I believe Senator Ahmed Lawan has an impeccable character and undeniable wealth of experience as a lawmaker to drive the aspirations and vision of the 9th Senate towards achieving its mandate.
“There is no doubt that Senator Lawan has also demonstrated stability, reliability and fidelity towards ensuring sound and people-oriented legislation at the Senate as he demonstrated in the build-up to the 2019 general elections where despite the pressure from the opposition, he remained resolute and committed towards promoting the good course of the Senate as the apex law-making organ in the country.”
In his remarks, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, Niger North Senatorial District, stated that he was optimistic that Senator Ahmed Lawan would promote homogeneity of purpose at the 9th Senate and foster unity among distinguished senators as well as other arms of government, in a manner that will add value to good governance in Nigeria.
“In my years as a lawmaker, I have known Senator Lawan as a man without any form of primordial sentiment. Even though each of us represents our various constituencies, his interest is in the development of Nigeria and Nigerians as a whole.
“So, I believe he embodies outstanding qualities that are germane to the success of the 9th Senate and the government as a whole. Therefore, I join my colleagues in endorsing his Senate Presidency ambition,” he added.
Supporting the positions of his colleagues, Senator Muhammad Bima Enagi from Niger South Senatorial District, said “the business of legislation is such that affects the generality of Nigerians whether positively or negatively.
As such, the need for effective, selfless and patriotic leadership at the Senate has become imperative.
“I believe therefore, that our party, the ruling All Progressives Congress decision to endorse Senator Ahmed Lawan for the Presidency of the Senate is a wise and timely decision that has great benefits not only for the party but for the next phase of governance as a whole in the country.”
