SENATE PRESIDENCY:
The Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan-led 9th Senate will cease to exist on June 13, 2023. The race for the Senate Presidency has begun in earnest. As expected, one of the most burning issues in Nigeria today is the race for the number one seat for the 10th National Assembly.
Section 50 [1a and b] of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) reads: “There shall be [a] a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves”.
Senate Rule, on the other hand allows only a Ranking Senator to be elected for this purpose and according to the Standing Orders “Nomination of Senators to serve as Presiding Officers and appointments of Principal Officers and other Officers of the Senate or any Parliamentary delegations shall be in accordance with the ranking of Senators”.
In determining the ranking, the following order shall apply – Senators retuning based on number of times re-elected; Senators who had been members of the House of Representatives.
Those contesting for the plumb job are: the incumbent President of the Senate Ahmad Lawal Ibrahim, and some of the Senators-Elect like Orji Uzor Kalu, Barua Bibrin, Godswill Akpabio, Adams Oshiomhole, Abdul-Aziz Yari and Dave Umahi.
Of all these political big wigs, so many professional bodies, political analysts, public commentators, Christian groups, cultural organisations and even the political class across the country have in different fora unanimously tipped Orji Uzor Kalu, OUK for the Senate Presidency. These groups believe, firmly too, that OUK is a seasoned Lawmaker with cognate wealth of political experience.
Kalu has that political savvy, legislative prowess and ability to navigate the complex terrain of Nigerian politics. OUK’S emergence as Senate President will likely have far-reaching implications for the balance of power within the polity.
His emergence will reduce tension in the South East of the country. The South East hitherto feel that they have been abandoned in the distribution of political powers in the country.
Truly, the South East feel they are slaves in their own country. They believe that they are not part of this great country: and are therefore considered as second class citizens.
A typical and recent example to support this assertion is the “Obi Wave” that swept aside many political actors from their seats. Who would have thought that Obi will win Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja in a Presidential Election?
That was the level of anger by the electorates. There’s no sitting Governor in the South East, Senator or House of Representatives Member that the “Obi Wave ” did not affect adversely.
In Abia State, the incumbent Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu lost his bid to go to the Senate and also lost the Governirship to same “Obi Wave”. The scenario was the same in Enugu, Ebonyi and would have been the same in Anambra and Imo States if elections were held in those States. Forget some Governors retained their seats! The Wave also spread to almost all parts of the country.
The people are so dischanted and are hopeless with the leadership style of exclusion of the South East and this exclusion, coupled with Obi’s personality activated sympathy from all parts of the country.
To remedy the ugly situation, we should not be asking how many votes did the APC garner from the South East? The question should be, how do we sincerely integrate the South East into the mainstream politics of Nigera?
The APC as a Politcal Party has the opportunity now. The Party should reconnect the Ibos into its fold for peaceful co-existence, equity, equality and inclusiveness in the affairs of running the country.
They should do this by stabilizing the polity as it was done since 1960. Under the NCNC Nnamdi Azikiwe, Denis Osadebay and Nwafor Orizu became the Senate President of the country respectively. Between 1979 to 1983 Joseph Wayas of the NPN became the Senate President.
Iyorchia Ayu and Eme Ebute of the SDP were Senate Presidents of the country respectively in 1992 to 1993. From 1999 to 2000 we had Evan Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim, Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani as Senate Presidents under the PDP. From 2007 to 2015 we had David Mark as Senate President also from the PDP.
Between 2015 to 2019 we had Bukola Saraki as Senate President from APC/PDP. From 2019 to date, we have the incumbent Ahmad Ibrahim Lawal from the APC. Votes cast in making these people Senate President was never a factor. The primary and fundamental factor was and has been the balancing of the political equation for peaceful co-existence.
OUK being a detrabilized Nigerian and a ranking Principal Officer with a verifiable track record of achievements should be favoured by the ruling party, the APC. It should be noted that APC lost presidential election in Christian dominated areas because of its muslim-muslim ticket.
The best way to win the confidence of the Christians and the South East is to make Kalu the Senate President and he has the capacity to reach out to everyone in the zone and the entire Nigeria.
On why Kalu is a round peg in a round hole, Sam Ogbonna wrote;
Most often, people jump into other people’s affairs and begin to discuss their antecedents without full knowledge of such person or persons.
Since after the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on the 25th of February, 2023, the social media and different fora have been a washed with who gets what in sharing key political positions in the country.Recently, the ruling party,All Progressives Congress, APC that has majority of the Senators in the upper Chamber, has decided from what I read to zone the President of the Senate to South East.
When Senator Orji Uzor Kalu made his position known in the political sphere,many wanted to vilify him and called for his head. Now that it is obvious that the President of the Senate is coming to the South East, many are jostling for it, but the big question is, how many of them are more qualified and competent in legislative business than Senator Orji Uzor Kalu?
Just to go a bit down the memory lane, at 24years, OUK had already carved a niche for himself and I wouldn’t want to border us with the history and the glorious achievements incidental there to.
We may recall that OUK,a maverick politician, master strategist, business mogul and a philanthropist of note, was a Member of the House of Representatives from 1992 to 1993 and as a first timer whose all round indefatigable and indispensable experience was mostly needed,served as the Vice Chairman ot the House Committee on Finance among other vibrant and sensitive House Committees.
He brought his managerial wealth of experience in his business conglomerate to bear. That legislative period could not last due to military intervention.
In 2019, when many that OUK brought to political limelight tried to pull him down, he excelled and won the Abia North Senatorial seat. The people from both the Northern and Western Nigeria in the Upper Chamber, saw the exceptional qualities in this young, vibrant and amiable Senator and elected him as the Senate Chief Whip without minding that he is a first timer, a position he has discharged his duties to the admiration of his colleagues and others.
In the past,we have heard of legislative imbroglio and even physical combat in the Chambers,but since Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been in charge of discipline in the Senate,the story changed and harmonious legislative business has taken prominence. What a great feat! The reward for diligence and hard work is more work they say.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, having garnered the requisite legislative experience and having known the politics of Nigeria, deserves to be the number three citizen because, the cap fits him.
In less than four years as a Senator,he has many Bills to his credit and most of them have been assented to by Mr. President. How about the numerous tangible and intangible projects he attracted to his Senatorial Zone and beyond which have become talk of the town and many are bewildered that a Senator could even embark on road constructions?
Challenging the suitability of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to be the next Senate President will do no one any good because, this Distinguished Senator, His Excellency, Aha Eji Eje Mba, political mathematician and juggernaut, bridge builder and the apple of God’s eyes, has the experience, charisma, exposure and imbued with team spirit to bring about the most vibrant and peaceful Senate Leadership.
They say that a trial will convince you, let’s rally round OUK and give him the support and encouragement and watch out what will happen and how Nigeria and Nigerians would thrive in terms of making laws that will be beneficial to all.
He that the cap fits, let him wear it. SENATOR ORJI UZOR KALU remains the best for the position of Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and with our collective support, prayers and encouragement, victory is certain.
