APC National Chairman disowns Senate principal officers as Akpabio reveals list

Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), has described the new leadership of the National Assembly as announced on Tuesday by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas as rumours.

Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary of the Senate had announced the names of four senators as majority leaders for the tenth Senate. The majority leaders, from the ruling All Progressives Congress, are Opeyemi Bamidele – Senate Majority Leader (Ekiti Central, APC), Dave Umahi – Deputy Majority Leader (Ebonyi South, APC), Ali Ndume – Chief Whip (Borno South, APC) and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as the Deputy Whip.

Abbas, on the other hand, announced the House of Representatives majority leadership members as Julius Ihonvbere, (Owaneast/Owan West- Edo State as Majority Leader; Abdullahi Halims (Ankpa/ Omala/Omala/ Olamaboro- Kogi State, Deputy House Leader; Bello Kumo (Akko)- Gombe State as Chief Whip; and Adewunmi Onanuga (Ikenne/ Sagamu/ Remo North) –Ogun State as Deputy Chief Whip.

Adamu, at a crucial meeting of the National Working Committee and APC governors at the party secretariat, described report as a ‘rumour’ saying the party has not officially stated the presiding officers.

“I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives. The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices. Until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions. So whatever announcement is done either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat.

“We are going to formally inform you that we are going to have a caucus. For quite a time, there has been no caucus in place. The caucus has been reconstituted according to the constitution of APC. And we will be discussing that with you as governors, you know your states more than we know it. Even if we come from the same state, the leadership is in you as governors,” Adamu said.

Continuing, the APC chairman disclosed that the party will make an official announcement when the decision on the sharing formula of the principal offices has been determined.

Akpabio also used the Tuesday House plenary to announce the names of four senators as minority leaders for the tenth Senate. The minority leaders emerged from various opposition parties. They are Mwadkwon Davou – Senate Minority Leader (Plateau North, PDP), Kamorudeen Olarere – Deputy Minority Leader (Osun West, PDP), Darlington Nwokeocha – Senate Minority Whip (Abia Central, LP) and Rufai Hanga – Deputy Minority Whip ( Kano Central, NNPP).

In the House of Representatives, Abbas named the minority leaders as Kingsley Chinda (PDP Rivers) as Minority Leader of the House, Aliyu Madaki (NNPP Kano State) as Deputy Minority Leader, Ali Isa (PDP) as Minority Whip, and George Ebizimawo of Labour Party as Deputy Minority Leader.