Ngige kicks as Senate names principal officers

By INALEGWU SHAIBU
ABUJA—The Senate, yesterday, concluded the composition of its principal officers, with the former Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, emerging  the new Senate Leader, while former governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume, was made Senate Minority Leader.

But the composition was not without controversy as the former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige, in a letter to the Senate President, David Mark, urged him to disregard the list as there were issues surrounding the emergence of leaders of the minorities which did not conform with the federal character principle.

Mark, who announced the new leaders during yesterday’s session, said Senator Hayatu Gwarzo, PDP, Kano North, was the new Senate Chief Whip, while Senator Ayoola Hosea Agboola, PDP, Oyo North, emerged Deputy Chief Whip.

The position of deputy leader of the senate, which is zoned to the North-East, is yet to be filled.

Ndoma-Egba later told journalists that the zone had not finished its consultation on who would be the deputy senate leader.
Under the new arrangement, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, ACN, Lagos West, emerged Minority Whip, while the former governor of Zamfara, Senator Ahmed Rufia Sani, ANPP Zamfara, is Deputy Minority Leader.

Senator Abu Ibrahim, CPC, Katsina State, emerged Deputy Minority Whip.

In a letter to the president of the senate, the former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, said the nomination of Senator Akume as Minority Leader was in violation of the principle of federal character.

He stated: “I write in respect of the above subject matter and in particular reference to the Senate rule section 30 (1) which states that the minority leader, deputy monitory leader, minority whip, deputy minority whip shall be nominated from among the minority parties in the Senate shall be nominated from among the minority parties in the Senate.

“I regret to announce to you that the issue of this nomination is still a subject of serious controversy within our party Senate caucus. I therefore employ you to use your good office to suspend the nomination transmitted to you till the issue some of which bothers on breach of the federal character principles in our Constitution are sorted out.”

The new principal officers assured the Senate that they will work for the enhancement of lives of Nigerians and overall development of the nation.