By Edegbe Odemwingie & Jonathan Nda-Isaiah
Against all odds, Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon Yakubu Dogara emerged Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives, last Tuesday. JONATHAN NDA-ISAIAH and EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE, in this report, look at factors that led to their emergence
After weeks of politicking and horsetrading, the leaders of the 8th National Assembly emerged with Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara) and Ike Ekweremadu emerging as the Senate president and deputy respectively. It will be recalled that in the build up to the elections, two groups emerged: the Unity Forum supporting the candidature of Senator Ahmad Lawan and Like Minds, supporting Senator Saraki.The All Progressives Congress, APC failed it’s first test in putting it’s house in order as the elections in the National Assembly has put cracks in the cohesion of the ruling party.The party failed in its bid to present a consensus candidate for the elections and it’s last ditch attempt to conduct a mock elections for its candidates failed as the Saraki faction boycotted the election. The fallouts of the election has led to accusations of betrayal and treachery against the principal actors.The party also, on its part, failed to nip the crisis in the bud as it failed categorically in zoning the principal offices in the Senate, thus, threw the race open. President Buhari had, on many occasions, stressed that he had no anointed candidate and will work with whoever emerges.
Saraki’s victory was plain sailing and without any contest from any other senator, following the absence of the 33 APC supporters of Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC Yobe North) under the auspices of Senate Unity Forum. They had gone to the International Conference Centre (ICC) where President Muhammadu Buhari was supposed to meet with them. As a result, they were not in the Senate chamber when nominations were made from among the senators for the position of Senate president.
They later rushed back to the chamber where all the senators were to be sworn in.
In their absence, the clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, observed that with no other nomination for the position, Saraki, according to the rules of the Senate, was elected as the Senate president for the 8th Senate with 57 votes. Maikasuwa explained that in such an election, what was required was for those present to form a quorum, which is 38 of the 109 senators-elect, a number he said was surpassed as 57 senators were present at the time the election for the Senate presidency was conducted.
Stopping short of congratulating Saraki, President Muhammadu Buhari said that even though he would have preferred the outcome of election of leaders of the National Assembly to have gone the way his party fashioned it, he was ready to work with the newly elected leaders.
According to a statement issued by his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the president wanted all the elected representatives of thepeople to focus on the enormous task of bringing enduring positive changes to the lives of Nigerians.
“The president would rather that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the APC had been followed; nonetheless, the president took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred,” Adesina said.
PDP as the game-changer
The emergence of Saraki and Ekweremadu have been described as a victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As a payback to the APC for what the party did when the ACN bloc then, supported the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal as the speaker of the House of Representatives against the party’s directive. In this case, while both candidates were presenting the number of APC lawmakers in their camp, PDP legislators were waiting patiently with their bloc votes bidding their time. It will be recalled that the PDP has 49 senators to the APC’s 60.The PDP had severally claimed that the leadership of the Senate is APC’s headache and not theirs. However, that changed a night before the elections when PDP lawmakers met and decided to give Saraki a bloc vote in exchange for the deputy Senate presidency. Also, to spite the APC whose preferred candidate was Lawan.
Shortly after the clandestine meeting, the PDP came out with a statement that it was adopting Saraki as its candidate for the Senate presidency. The party, in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Tuesday morning, therefore, urged its senators to act accordingly by voting for Saraki.
The PDP lawmakers carried out the actions to the letter and were awarded the deputy Senate presidency. They were also aided by the absence of some APC lawmakers who were absent.
The PDP was also the first to congratulate the duo as they noted that their elections underscored the fact that no section of the country should be neglected on national issues.
Metuh, in a statement, described the development in both chambers of the National Assembly as, “Victory for democracy and triumph of the time-honored value of the PDP that every zone and segment of the country must, at all times, be given a sense of belonging in governance”.
The party assured that it would continue to partner with like minds in other political parties and groups to ensure that the nation’s democracy, which it nurtured in the last 16 years, is sustained in the overall interest of the Nigerian people.
“What is paramount to the PDP is the sustenance of our democracy and the well-being of our people, irrespective of creed, class or ethnicity. The PDP is therefore willing and ready to partner with like-minded individuals in other political parties and groups to sustain our democracy, ensure good governance and promote the unity and stability of our dear nation. Nigeria, as a nation, belongs to all of us. Its interest, therefore, must be put over and above personal, partisan or group interests at all times.
“In this regard, the PDP notes with gratitude, the immense contributions of the immediate past Senate president, Senator David Mark for the decency and mature manner with which he ensured the smooth take off of the 8th National Assembly”, the party said.
However, in its reaction, the APC described as totally unacceptable and the highest level of indiscipline and treachery the conduct of the inauguration and elections that led to the emergence of Saraki as Senate president.
“Senator Bukola and Hon Dogara are not the candidates of the APC and a majority of its National Assembly members-elect for the positions of Senate president and House speaker. The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate president, deputy Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives. All National Assembly members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that decision.
“The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members”, the party said in a statement issued in Abuja Tuesday by its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed.
Mohammed further revealed that the APC leadership was meeting “in a bid to re-establish discipline in the party and to mete out the necessary sanctions to all those involved in what is nothing but a monumental act of indiscipline and betrayal to subject the party to ridicule and create obstacles for the new administration.”
APC decried a situation in which some people, based on nothing but inordinate ambition and lack of discipline and loyalty, will enter into an unholy alliance with the very same people whom the party and indeed the entire country worked hard to replace and sell out the hard won victory of the party.
“There can be no higher level of treachery, disloyalty and insincerity within any party.” the party said.
Tactical miscalculation on the part of Lawan group
Saraki’s main challenger to the senate presidency Ahmad Lawan lost out in the tactical battle. He violated one of the laws of powers which says “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” He totally excluded the PDP from his calculations and was hoping on the bloc votes from his party. After being endorsed by the party, he was expecting Saraki to obey the party’s directive and that party supremacy will prevail, forgetting the popular maxim “in love and war all is fair” .
The Lawan group went to the International Conference centre (ICC) on the day of the elections allegedly on the instance of the president and forgetting that the President has sent his proclamation to the clerk of the National Assembly that the 8th National Assembly should be inaugurated by 10 am on June 9,2015. As they were waiting for the president, Saraki was being sworn in as Senate president. The absence of the Saraki group in the meeting should have given them an idea of what might happen. They lost the battle without even throwing a punch.
Describing the emergence of Saraki as illegitimate, The 33 pro – Lawan senators led by Barnabas Gemade ( Benue North East), under the aegis of ‘The Unity Forum’ at media briefing accused the clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa of carrying out illegality with the election of Bukola Saraki when only 57 out of 108 senators- elect across party divides were around and vowed to contest it in the court of law.
He said contrary to reports in the media that they boycotted the election that produced Saraki that they rather at the ICC for a meeting with President Buhari as duly summoned and informed by the party’s national leadership.
According to him, invitation for the meeting came through the office of the national chairman of the APC, Chief Odigie Oyegun, which indicated the request of President Buhari to have a brief meeting with all APC elected senators and House of Representatives members at the ICC before the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly at 10am.
He stated further on behalf of the other senators in the group that the process which produced Saraki as president of the 8th Senate as far as they were concerned, remained unconstitutional and cannot in anyway confer legitimacy to him in that capacity , saying “ Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons”.
They also countered the claim made by the clerk of the National Assembly that the election was conducted because of quorum formed by the 57 senators in attendance , by saying that the quorum required for such an election was not 38 as claimed by the clerk but two-third of the entire 109 senators , which they said was far above 57 senators in attendance.
“The Clerk of the National Assembly knowing fully well that the quorum for election of the Senate president has not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door to about 53 other senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters is done,” he said.
The Atiku factor
It was alleged that former vice president and a chieftain of the APC, Atiku Abubakar directed his supporters in the Senate to vote for Saraki, which is directly against the party ‘s directive. Checks reveal that Atiku and some party members were not happy about the overbearing influence of the national leader of the party Bola Tinubu, whose preferred candidate was Lawan. Atiku, who is part of the New PDP had earlier insisted that the position of the Senate presidency should be ceded to them as part of their contributions towards APC success at the polls.
The shocking defeats suffered by the preferred candidates of the ruling APC in Tuesday’s National Assembly elections have highlighted the major cracks in the opposition coalition that won the presidential election.
It’s no coincidence that Atiku was one of the first people that Saraki visited after his victory. As his party was contesting the legitimacy of the elections, Atiku congratulated Saraki, admonishing him to see their elections beyond the narrow interests of respective political parties.
The former vice president, in a press statement issued by his media office noted that with the elections of its presiding officers, the 8th National Assembly should swing to work and put the overall national interest beyond the personal political interests of its members.
Irrespective of the political mix through which the presiding officers emerged, Atiku noted that the 8th National Assembly should never lose focus of its role as a partner in progress with the other arms of government, especially the executive arm.
It remains to be seen how APC will manage this crisis, so as to not affect it’s promise of delivering good governance to the electorates as more time may be spent trying to mend political fences and governance may suffer.
Dogara’s emergence is deja vu
Going down memory lane, after the 2011 general elections, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoned the House of Representatives speakership position to the South-west. The party also went ahead to pick Hon Mulikat Akande-Adeola to occupy the position.
But unknown to the PDP leadership and the Presidency, some PDP members in collaboration with the defunct ACN members in the House had plotted to go against the PDP zoning arrangement.
From the PDP side, arrowheads of the plot were reportedly Hon Farouk Lawan from Kano State; Ishaka Bawa from Taraba State and Hon Leo Ogor from Delta State. On ACN’s side, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos State led the charge.
Gbajabiamila reportedly took Tambuwal to Tinubu, assuring him that the ACN could “work with him”.
On the floor of the House on June 9, 2011, Tambuwal against all odds defeated Mulikat Akande-Adeola. Tambuwal, the former deputy whip, scored 252 votes to Akande-Adeola’s 90 votes.
Also, Hon Emeka Ihedioha (Imo/PDP), the former House chief whip was elected Deputy Speaker unopposed.
2011 Replay
The events of June 9, 2011 replayed itself on June 9, 2015. Backed by bloc votes from the 140-member PDP House caucus, Yakubu Dogara defied his ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) controversial consensus arrangement which favoured Gbajabiamila to emerge the speaker of the 8th House.
Atiku, immediate past Speaker, Tambuwal; the five governors who in late 2013 defected to the APC from the PDP allegedly engineered the emergence of Dogara and his Senate counterpart, Bukola Saraki.
All these politicians has a common enemy in Tinubu. They plotted to cut Tinubu to size and they did.
Tinubu backed the defeated Senator Lawan for the Senate presidency and Hon Gbajabiamila for the speakership.
Counter forces and aggrieved members of the APC decided to throw up Saraki and Dogara to counter the perceived overbearing influence of Tinubu and the leadership of the party.
Meanwhile, President Buhari’s position that he was ready to work with anybody elected by the national assembly members as their leader also gave boost to Saraki and Dogara to come up with intrigues .
Dirty fighting
Meanwhile, the lead up to the House leadership election was fraught with blackmail and smear campaigns from Dogara and Gbajabiamila’s camps. Allegations were made against Dogara on his activities as chairman of the House Services and Welfare Committee. A serving member, Ali Madaki from Kano State alleged that former Speaker Tambuwal was rooting for Dogara to keep all the sleaze and murky deals of his tenure under wraps. Madaki could not substantiate the allegations.
The House “Consolidation Group” which was campaigning for Dogara, challenged Gbajabiamila to come clean on his reported conviction in United States of America for theft which led to him being debarred for 36 months on February 26, 2007 by the Supreme Court of Georgia. Gbajabiamila was also accused of holding dual citizenship, in conflict with the 1999 Nigerian constitution (as amended) for individuals seeking elective positions. The matter is in court.
Strange Bed-fellows
Reacting to Saraki and Dogara’s emergence, former PDP deputy national chairman, Chief Olabode George, said the outcome was expected: “Since 1999, the PDP is known for playing national politics and we will continue to do just that, whether we are in the opposition or not.”
He described APC as “a congregation of strange bed fellows”.
Monitors have repeatedly reminded the APC of being a coalition of strange bedfellows.
A resurgent PDP
The PDP-determined election of Saraki and Dogara presents a big blow for the ruling APC and Buhari’s administration.
Clearly, having opponents in powerful positions in the legislature will not make Buhari’s job any easier, especially as his APC s only a coalition of politicians from different political persuasions, including defectors from the PDP.
The two victories for the PDP in the National Assembly could be a sign that it is renewing its prowess after its electoral defeat.
