Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday wrote to the Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki and the speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, to convey the party’s approval of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as majority leaders in the two chambers of the 8th National Assembly.
The APC national working committee also approved Senator George Akume and five others as principal officers.
The APC leaders’ position was communicated to both the president of the Senate and the speaker, House of Representatives, by the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, in a separate letters.
In the letters to Saraki and Dogara respectively, Oyegun asked them to take “necessary action” on these recommendations.
The letter to the Senate presidents reads, “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follow:
“Majority Leader: Senator Ahmed Lawan, PhD (North East); Chief Whip: Sen. Prof Sola Adeyeye (South West); Deputy Majority Leader: Sen. Dr George Akume (North Central); Deputy Chief Whip: Sen. Abu Ibrahim (North West).”
The text of a similar letter to the House Speaker listed the approved principal officers as:
House Leader: Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (South West); Deputy House Leader: Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (North West); Chief Whip: Hon. M.T. Monguno (North East); Deputy Chief Whip: Hon. Pally Iriase (South South).
The APC adopted the lists submitted by The Unity Forum (Senate) and The Loyalists (House of Representatives) to heal the wounds and reconcile all after the June 9 controversial NASS leadership elections.
LEADERSHIP learnt that more than 12 members of the APC NWC supported the recommended candidates.
It remains to be seen whether both Saraki and Dogara will accept the party’s position.
The duo won elections in the two legislative chambers with the backing of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the APC leaders’ position that recommended the two legislators now being proposed to work with them as majority leaders.
-Leadership
