NASS : Tinubu and APC members discuss leadership positions
Tinubu and APC members discuss leadership positions: The All Progressives Congress (APC)
leaders, including President-elect Bola Tinubu, are weighing options ahead of the inauguration
of the 10th National Assembly (NASS). Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima moved
into their official residence, Defence House in Abuja, on Wednesday ahead of the swearing-in on May 29.
Tinubu hosted a series of meetings with party members, including Senate President Ahmed Lawan,
Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila,
Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Abdullahi Adamu (APC chairman), and Iyiola Omisore (secretary).
the visitors
Other notable figures who visited Tinubu’s residence include Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa,
former Vice Presidential candidate Kabiru Masari, business mogul Aliko Dangote, and Nuhu
Ribadu (ex-EFCC chairman). During the meetings, Tinubu discussed the composition of the leadership
of the 10th NASS as part of efforts to reach a possible consensus.
It is expected that the top four positions will be shared among the four regions outside
the South-West and North-East, where Tinubu and Shettima hail from. The Senate Presidency is likely to go to the South-South (a Christian), while the Speakership may go to the North-West (a Muslim). The North-Central is being considered for the Deputy Senate Presidency, while a South-Easterner may become the next Deputy Speaker.
the minority leader
Godswill Akpabio is vying for the Senate Presidency, but he faces opposition from those still angry about how he became the Minority Leader of the 8th Senate despite being a first-timer. Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu is also interested in the position, but there are factors against him. His region produced the least votes for the APC, and he initially wanted Lawan as the presidential candidate.
For the Speakership position, Betara is one of the contenders, but the fact that he hails from the same region and state (Borno) as the VP-elect may rule him out. Meanwhile, senators from Lagos are likely to get key offices, including Opeyemi Bamidele as the Senate Leader, Solomon Adeola on the Appropriation committee, and Tokunbo Abiru on the Banking and Insurance committee.
The 10th National Assembly is expected to start on June 13, tentatively, two weeks after the inauguration of Tinubu and Shettima at the Eagle Square. While the APC leaders are considering various options to reach a consensus on the leadership of the NASS, it remains to be seen how the positions will be allocated and whether there will be any challenges to the final decisions.