NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP: DON’T MEDDLE IN OUR AFFAIRS

• North-East, South-East may clash over SGF slot
• Senate Presidency splits Tinubu, Dino Melaye
Lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have advised President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to keep off the jostling for the Senate presidency and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sunday Telegraph learnt that they gave the advice to Buhari at separate meetings with the President-elect in Abuja. They urged him to avoid getting entangled in the intrigues in order not to be seen to be trying to control the National Assembly.
They were said to have reminded him of how President Goodluck Jonathan lost considerable goodwill when he was unable to push through the Peoples Democratic Party’s plan to get Mrs. Mulikat Akande- Adeola from Oyo State elected as the speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011. Instead, the lawmakers elected Aminu Tambuwal from Sokoto State as speaker.
An APC senator, who spoke to Sunday Telegraph in Abuja, said: “We decided to send some of us to meet with the President-elect and impress it on him not to be dragged into the unnecessary politicking. APC governors also told him this last week,” he said.
To make matters worse, Sunday Telegraph learnt that three North-East governors had developed cold feet on the interest of Senator Ahmad Lawan in the Senate presidency and were instead more interested in pushing a candidate for the post of Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Party sources said this would set the North on collision course with the South- East. The South-East has been angling for the post, with two former governors – Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Senator Chris Ngige – leading the pack.
The North-East is also pushing for the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The North- Central is in the race for the Senate presidency, with Dr. Bukola Saraki and George Akume of the APC and outgoing Senate President, David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party, in strong contention.
There are feelers that senators may back Mark if the APC cannot put its acts together and decide on a consensus candidate by the date of the election for Senate president. The tussle has also set the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, against APC senator-elect for Kogi West, Dino Melaye.
A party source said Tinubu is unhappy at the role allegedly being played by Melaye, especially as regards which zone should occupy the seat. Melaye is believed to be backing one of the contenders for the seat and has told party chieftains that they should allow the National Assembly elect its leaders.
He is said to have warned that any attempt by trhe party to foist leaders on the National Assembly would backfire. Nonetheless, immediate past APC National Vice- Chairman (North-East), Alhaji Umar Duhu, told Sunday Telegraph on Thursday berated those accusing Tinubu of ‘cornering’ all positions to look more inwards and play more politics of lobbying rather than accusation and sentiments.
Reacting to the North- East’s interest in the SGF slot,, Sam Onwuemeodo, media aide to Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, said, “We cannot comment on the situation now until the party comes out with an official position on the matter.”
Source: New Telegraph