Ndume
The circumstances surrounding the emergence of Senator Mohammed Ndume go beyond leadership fisticuffs that betide the National Assembly in the last few weeks. What was obvious though was a battle of wits between two groups – Like minds headed by Senator Dino Melaye and Unity Forum of Senator Barnabas Gemade.
What was envisaged by Like minds group originally, DAILY POST learnt, was a total capture of entire National Assembly principals officers through high level politicking ostensibly because of ‘powers’ behind the contending group.
In one of the meetings held at the planning stage in the office of Senator Ndume which was disclosed to DAILY POST by one of the core members of the victorious group who does not want his name in print, the intention was to roll out entire principal officers, but decided to halt their decision because of ongoing development so as not to heat up the polity unnecessarily.
Having overcome the paranoid occasioned by the Bukola Saraki’s senate presidency, they retreated to the original plan thus executing it to the latter.
The ‘Like Minds’ group fully supported by opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would not succumb to the yearnings of the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) to exert party supremacy.
The Party had in conformity with the federal character zoned principal officers, thus plotting a graph for ‘Like Minds’ group to execute its own agenda under the guise that the Senate was supposed to be independent.
President Muhammadu Buhari however waded into the crisis by holding a meeting with the All Progressives Congress governors to persuade the senators to stick to party positions. Rochas Okorocha came out to announce that Party’s decision should be given priority attention and be obeyed. The Like Minds group made good their decision last night by adopting Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing North East as Senate leader, Bala Ibn NaAllah’from North West as Deputy Senate Leader, while Francis Alimikhena from South South is in grip of Deputy Chief Whip .
The announcement was made at plenary today, but Senator Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara rose to oppose their decision. The Senate President however used his discretion to rule him out of order.
Reacting to the situation, Senator Biodun Olujimi noted that Senate at this time cannot be marooned into what is outside its scope especially at this time in history that the opposition is vibrant both in knowledge of workings and in numbers.
She said, what is important at this time should be what can the Senate offer Nigerians, and as such, the ruling party (APC) should downplay party colouration and work towards the delivery of change they promised Nigerians.
Earlier on, Senate leader, Ali Ndume had appealed to all Senators to see reasons with the development, noting that any of them could carry out assignments that is within t
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