His emergence as Senate President had unnerved certain
leaders of the party, who perceived his insistence to seek
the exalted office as the height of obduracy and his
ultimate victory, a threat to their grip on the ruling party.
The party leadership had endorsed the duo of Senator
Ahmed Lawan and George Akume as Senate President and
deputy senate president, respectively, but the Like Minds
Senators in the Red Chamber who
craved for autonomy for National Assembly ensured
victory for Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu.
While Saraki and his Like Minds Senators relished their
victory, the aggrieved party leaders recoiled into their
shells, smarting for showdown. To those calling for
ceasefire, for the sake of amity in the progressive camp,
the aggrieved leaders squealed over the election of
Senator Ike Ekweremadu as deputy senate president,
which they argued cast a slur on the monumental feat
achieved by the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the last
general elections. To rub salt into APC’s injury, the Peoples
Democratic Party, went to town proclaiming that the
election of Senator Ekweremadu showed it political
astuteness, taunting the ruling party as inexperience.
Acting national chairman of the erstwhile ruling party,
Uche Secondus let the cat out of the bag on the power
game and intrigues that led to Senator Ekweremadu’s
victory as he had told chieftains of the party at its 57th
National Executive Committee meeting that the latter as
Deputy Senate President remained a major achievements
of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) National Working
Committee, (NWC).
Immediately I took over as the Ag. National Chairman, the
NWC inaugurated the Ike Ekweremadu-led Post-Election
Review Committee to undertake a comprehensive
evaluation of the problems of the Party with a view to
making recommendations for moving the Party forward.
In our drive to revive the Party after the elections, the
National Secretariat in conjunction with the PDP Caucus at
the National Assembly organized a Retreat in Port Harcourt
for our legislators.
It was a forum, which was used to train and mobilize our
legislators to excel in our new role as the leading
opposition Party. Happily, that initiative became a huge
success. Today the PDP as an opposition Party has become
the driving force in the National Assembly and our own
Senator Ike Ekweremadu is the Deputy Senate President, a
feat unprecedented in the political history of Nigeria.’’
To the aggrieved camp, in the ruling party, no meaningful
progress can be made by a president who had made a
commitment to retrieve the nation from the abyss it has
sunk without the cooperation of a progressive minded
National Assembly leadership.
An indication that they were not ready to let go was the
invitation extended to Senator Bukola Saraki by the Code
of Conduct Tribunal to answer a 13-count charge allegation
on falsification of assets in 2003. Recall that before his
appearance before the CCT, his wife Toyin Saraki had been
a guest of the anti-corruption agency, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over some money
laundering allegations.
Enters Ministerial screening
Ahead of the screening of ministerial nominees recently
conducted, there were insinuations that the Senate
President would use the exercise as a political bargain:
delay, or frustrate the process, in order to compel
President Buhari to ensure soft-landing for him over
pending trial before the CCT.
But the Senate President swiftly dismissed the insinuation
as unfounded and assured Nigerians that the Senate would
conduct the exercise with fairness.
“The screening of ministerial nominees will be handled by
me and my colleagues with all sense of responsibility and
in adherence to the provision of the constitution. We will
be fair to all and be guided by the interest of Nigeria. The
screening will be devoid of sentiment and it is not an
opportunity for anybody to settle scores. We are equally
eager for us to make a positive difference in our polity and
Nigerians will be able to judge us whether we acted in their
best interest or not.’’
To the admiration of Nigerians, the Senators conducted
themselves maturely, considering the seriousness they
brought to bear on the exercise . The Senate President also
left no one in doubt about his mastery of parliamentary
skills and intrigues, considering his moderating role in
ensuring the confirmation of former Rivers State governor,
Rotimi Amaechi as ministerial nominee without
supplanting the debates of the issues involved.
What almost stalled the confirmation of the former Rivers
State governor was a petition brought before the Senate by
Senator George Sekibo. The petition signed by one,
Livingstone Wechie on behalf of the Integrity Group
requested the Senate to reject the nomination of Rotimi
Ameachi as a Minister on the grounds of alleged
corruption, criminal breach of trust, unlawful enrichment
and conversion of over N70 billion Rivers Peoples Money
when he served as Executive Governor of the State
between 2007 and 2015.
According to the group, details of the N70billion allegedly
stolen by Ameachi as Executive Governor of the State, had
already been forwarded to EFCC and the Independent
Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission
(ICPC) for the needed investigation and prosecution .
The Integrity Group further argued that its stance against
the former Rivers state governor was not premised on
witch-hunt or mischief. “ We shall not relent and we will
not stop at nothing to support the Nigerian Senate and the
National Assembly in the fight against corruption,
particularly in ensuring that anyone no matter how highly
placed, is brought to justice. “Our evidence and facts
against Ameachi on afore stated allegations remain
incontrovertible,” they further submitted.
The petition was referred to the Senate Committee on
Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions and its report was
presented by its chairman , Senator Sam Anyanwu last
Thursday before Amaechi’s confirmation.
Despite intensive lobby and entreaties by the leadership of
the Senate, the PDP senators led by former Akwa-Ibom
governor and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio
were determined to frustrate the confirmation of the
former Rivers state governor, as they insisted that the
recommendation of the Senator Anyanwu Committee that
Rotimi Amaechi nomination be stepped down be adopted.
The recommendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics,
Privileges and Public Petitions read in part: “Since the
ministerial nominee had gone to the Court of Appeal to
challenge the content of the petition and the White Paper
of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, the Senate is unable
to recommend consideration of his confirmation.
“That the Senate do consider and adopt the
recommendation as proposed by the committee.’’
Daily Sun checks revealed that Senator Saraki was the
rallying force for the APC senators during the ministerial
screening exercise, as it was later confirmed by the
national publicity secretary of the party, Lai Mohammed
who further noted in a press statement that the APC
senators for the first time spoke with one voice after the
Senate leadership tussle.
Also speaking in similar vein, a member of the party
national working committee who craved for anonymity
told Daily Sun that the recent screening of ministerial
nominees afforded the embattled Senate president, an
opportunity to assure the party leadership of his
commitment to ensure an harmonious relationship with
the executive arm of government.
‘’The Senate President has shown that he is a loyal party
man who enjoys the respect of his colleagues across party
line and that he can be relied upon to rally the Senate
behind party positions. Also, he has proved that there is
nothing the President wants from the Senate that he
cannot help him to get. It is now incumbent on the Senate
to reciprocate this new gesture and help to consolidate
new cooperation between executive and legislature.
‘’He should open a new window of peaceful relationship
between the
NASS Leadership and the Presidency and we are sure the
gesture will be imbibed by other powerful forces in the
APC who are aggrieved by the manner the leadership
emerged. This is however not possible except the external
influences being brought on the Saraki case cease. The
President should find political solution to the issue as
many believe everything about the case smacks of politics.
The President should help to create conducive atmosphere
for unity to thrive in APC, National Assembly and in the
country.’’
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