MINORITY LEADER: How senators plot to stop Akume

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
LAGOS — A NEAR perfect plot to stop the emergence of Senator George Akume as the Minority Leader of the Senate is in the works.

The scheme which is the focus of ongoing meetings in Abuja aims to stop what senators claim is a plot to use the election of Akume as a plot to raise instability in the Senate. Vanguard gathered that ACN senators are, however, making deliberate efforts not to identify with the plot in order not to offend the party leaders who were instrumental to the nomination of Senator Akume for the top position.

The plot came against the background of the threat by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to make the Senate ungovernable if the party’s choice of Akume as the Senate Minority Leader was overturned.

The ACN’s vow nonetheless, it was learnt that murmurings over the choice of Akume was continuing among the minority parties and among the ranks of senators of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who form the majority in the Senate.

Vanguard gathered that at the centre of the plot to stop Akume was an invocation of the Senate rules to the effect that the nomination of Akume was a breach of the Senate’s standing rules on ranking.

One senator who noted that the Senate would have to vote on the point of order said: “We cannot stop any party from presenting its choice of a leader but all such nominations must be made in accordance with the Senate’s standing rules.

We have gone too far in the matter of our rules and we will not stop at this point. The nomination can be made, but there is nothing stopping us from raising a point of order when our rule is breached.”

Order 3(2) “b” of the Senate rules states: In determining ranking, the following order shall apply: (i) senators returning based on number of times re_elected, (ii) senators who had been members of the House of Representatives, (iii) senators who have been members of a State House of Assembly or any other Legislative House; (iv) senators elected as senators for the first time.

Pointing at a growing unease among minority senators, another ACN Senator told Vanguard yesterday of continuing meetings by those opposed to Akume. He, however, expressed his reluctance to be associated with the meetings saying, “You know Tinubu’s hand is in this, so one has to be careful.”

While some within the minority caucus claimed ignorance over the choice of Akume, outside the minority benches, the choice is being met with incredulity. Akume joined the ACN from the PDP few weeks to the April National Assembly elections and was picked ahead of Senator Ganiyu Solomon, the most ranking senator in the ACN who was earlier endorsed in a straw poll by senators-elect from the minority parties.

Position of deputy minority leader

Vanguard also learnt that the immediate past Minority Leader, Senator Maiji Maina Lawan, ANPP, Borno North; and Senator Ahmad Lawan, ANPP, Yobe North; declined the offer to them to take up the position of deputy minority leader which was zoned to the ANPP.

Maiji Lawan reportedly declined because he did not consider it dignifying to assume the office of deputy minority leader after serving four years as minority leader. Senator Ahmad Lawan on his part reportedly declined the offer which was made to him after Maiji declined for private reasons after which the offer was passed on to Ahmed Yerima, ANPP Zamfara.

ACN’s defence of Akume in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, weekend was in response to news reports of a plot by former governors to foist Akume, himself a former governor, as Minority Leader of the Senate despite the senate ranking rules.

The ACN statement was silent on the alleged infringement of the Senate ranking rules 3(2b) which puts Akume below a couple of other senators in the rank to occupy the position of the Minority Leader.

Akume was reportedly endorsed for the position last week by party elders despite a straw poll by senators-elect which put Senator Ganiyu Solomon (ACN, Lagos West) as favourite for the office.

The alleged plot to position Akume as Minority Leader was equally facing serious opposition from allies of the Senate president who believed that  it was an attempt to rattle the present leadership.

One senator said the proposal was being masterminded to foist instability on the Senate based on the perceived political distrust between Mark and Akume.

Akume and Mark who are both from Benue State were one time strong political allies who turned into bitter political foes in the middle of the last decade.