Date:April 7, 2019, 10:12 am
Lawan builds consensus on Senate PresidencyBy Mod - 10 minutes ago - [ Update ]
By Chris Onuoha
Talks have begun between the campaign team of Senator Ahmad Lawan and one of the aspirants from the North-East for the presidency of the 8th Senate, a development which may pave the way for a sole candidate for the headship of the legislature.
The discussions, it was learnt, commenced at the instance of the aspirant last week in Abuja. “Initial interactions show that in the coming weeks, both camps will have cheering news to announce to APC leadership and senators-elects,†a source familiar with the talks told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend.
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The source said it would take a couple of weeks for a final agreement to be reached because of political complications occasion by the fact that  both senators are from the same geo-political zone, a situation that will shut the door of membership of principal officials of the Senate against the aspirant.
“In the light of the political reality, he came with a request that he should be given the chairmanship of Appropriations Committee for the consideration of Senator Lawan and his campâ€, he said.
According to another source, the camp of Lawan, while welcoming the development, pleaded for time to consider the request because wide consultations needed to be made before a final decision could be made.
Sunday Vanguard learnt at the national headquarters of APC in Abuja that the party had been briefed of the development and that the move was made by the aspirant because of the stand of the party on the emergence of the President of the 9th Senate.
Meanwhile, a group under the aegis of ‘ Society for Grassroots Political Participation†, has called for adherence to international best practices and party system in the emergence of the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.
According to a communique issued at the end of a meeting adherence to internationally recognised best practices in the processes for the emergence of the headship of the legislature this time around will save the nation from what it experience with the 8th Session of the National Assembly.
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In the communique of its ‘ Roundtable Series’ , held in Ibadan and signed by the Executive Secretary, Sewaola Johnson, and the External Communication Officer, Musbau Alade, the body urged National Assembly members-elect and political parties to ensure that “the foundation blocks, on which other programme and activities of the legislature are built, are cemented by proven parliamentary experience†.“We urge political parties to put forward experience parliamentarians for the leadership of our National Assembly. Being a returning parliamentarian is not enough. Consideration must be accorded past legislative accomplishments of those to lead other distinguished Senators and honourable Representatives†, it said.
While lamenting that lack of parliamentary experience was the bane of the leadership that emerged in the out-going 8th Session of the National Assembly, the group likened years of experience in the legislature to wine which tastes better with age, adding “Political parties, worldwide, nominate their best eleven in terms of years of achievements at the committee level and caucus leadership positions to head the parliamentâ€
The body urged all political party to ensure, “if they have not, mechanisms for controlling, through party system, the nomination process and save Nigerians from the four yearly ritual of unnecessary heating up of the polity each time change in the leadership of the National Assembly is underwayâ€
“Our political parties should explain to the member-elects the need to also follow the constitutional provisions and other parliamentary norms on the emergence of their leaders for the political health of the country to be well servedâ€, it added.
The communique noted that some states in the federation are experiencing similar, “although at a lesser degree, unnecessary tension over the headship of their various House of Assemblies, blaming member-elects, who on winning their elections into the parliament, now feel “bigger than their partiesâ€
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According to the communique, members-elect into both federal and state legislatures are reminded that when it comes who occupies leadership positions in the National Assembly or State Assemblies the wishes of political parties should be respected.
The body called on all elected members into the legislative arm of government to consider the ordinary Nigerians in the emergence of their leaders because of their powers of appropriations and appointments, which when exercised in the interest of the country, the wellbeing of the generality of the people would be taken care of by the government.
Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/lawan-builds-consensus-on-senate-presidency/
