EXCLUSIVE: Buhari ‘will not intervene’ in choice of senate president, speaker
President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has refused to intervene in the ongoing intrigues surrounding the election of the senate president and speaker in the incoming administration, TheCable has learnt.
This development has unsettled many of the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who believe that he has to put his feet on the ground to forestall the looming crisis in the party.
But Buhari, according to insiders, does not want to get involved in national assembly politics because he does not want to be seen as an interloper.
“My sense is that Buhari does not want to be called a dictator because that was the tag his opponents have put on him since he started bidding for presidency in 2003,” one of his associates told TheCable.
“Over the years, the unfortunate characterisation of Buhari has mellowed him down and you can now see him doing things he normally would not do.”
His position, TheCable understands, is that he is ready to work with whoever is elected as the senate president as well as the speaker.
Buhari also did not push any candidate for the chairmanship of the party at the convention last year, with Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state, playing the key role in the election of the national executive.
APC is yet to take a final decision on the zoning of some positions, especially the senate presidency which now a source of tussle between the north-central and the north-east.
The speakership was initially supposed to have been zoned to the north-east before south-west came into the picture.
The battle for the senate presidency is now appearing to be a two-way battle between Bukola Saraki (Kwara) from the north-central and Ahmed Lawan (Yobe) from the north-east.
Speakership, if zoned to the south-west, will most likely throw up Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos), who is currently the minority leader, but Abdulmumin Jibril (Kano) from the north-west is also showing interest.
The source, who spoke with TheCable, said Buhari has never been a fan of intra-party intrigues and he will allow APC leadership to take the lead in resolving the zoning and candidacy issues.
The party is holding a series of meetings to finalise the sharing of the positions in the national assembly.
Pls. Saraki is ok 4 d post of senete president, And 4 d speakership Majeed Alabi 4rm Osun state is ok.
Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila is the man.
NAZEEF GAMAWA IS THE RIGHT MAN
Sen. Joshua dariye of plateau state should be the next senate president of the federal republic of nigeria.
AHAMED I LAWAN (YOBE) is d right man 4 d post of senate president
No pls, Abdulmumini cannot be trusted. We have taken note of his utterances before the national convention and therefore we know where he is heading.
Your comment..i just want 2 urge Akume 2 stepdown 4 Saraki to let the position shift 4rm Benue 2 kwara
Senate president should be person who taken buhari,s second shoe within his heart.dt is saraki.Your comment..
ahmeed lawan his deserve to be a Senate president b/c since from 1999 up to now north east day never get dis position bt dey ‘re suffering insecurities an poverty
Sen . Ahmed lawan deserve 2 sen. President b/c he hasn’t case with EFCC
Your comment..up saraki
Your comment..up bukolo
We need a president who’ll do things differently from past presidents. If individuals other than regions counted in Nigeria’s political equation, Akpabio would place the senate in the world’s political map as its most deserving president. Alas!
Your comment..Hon Yakub dogara is the best for speaker
Why don’t we put eye” we’ve finish our part by voting .its their duty to get the right one to lead.
D MARK should be returned
Igbo people are not commenting.whY? NigeRia is one ooooooooooo. One Nation one Nigeria… Long live our great Nation (Nigeria)
I’M A NOVICE IN POLITIES BT I WANT ALL OF U 2 SET RIGHT 2CHOCE SOME WAN DAT HAVE GOD FAIRNESS AND HE/SHE MUST B A TRUSTED PERSON