Politics
Three Nominations Expected For 10th Senate Contest
The zoning template for the 10th National Assembly Presiding offices set by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) prior to the inauguration is causing ongoing turmoil within the ruling party.
Senators and House of Representatives members are rejecting the template and urging the party to rectify the issue.
If the matter remains unresolved before the inauguration on June 13th, it is likely that three Senators-elect, namely Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom North West, Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North, and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara West, will be nominated for the position of Senate President.
Interestingly, the three aspirants vying for the position of Senate President share a common background as former Governors.
According to information, it is speculated that after the nominations on that day, Abdulaziz Yari may withdraw from the race, allowing Orji Uzor Kalu to compete against Godswill Akpabio for the position of Senate President.
This arrangement would leave Akpabio representing the South South region and Kalu representing the South East.
Additionally, nominations for the position of Deputy Senate President would follow. Senator Sani Musa, currently the Chairman of Senate Services and representing Niger East, is expected to be nominated by a Senator from the North Central region.
Senator Jibrin Barau of Kano North would also be nominated for the same position. It is worth noting that Yari, who had previously stepped down for Kalu, would receive a nomination for the Deputy Senate President position as well.
The Senators- elect are settling for open nomination in order surprise everyone that they will need their own leader, using the open secret ballot process.
In the Upper Chamber, the President of the Senate and the Deputy Senate President positions are the Presiding officers that would warrant all the Senators to vote and elect them while the principal officers are the prerogative of the parties to produce them.
The positions are the Majority leader, the Deputy Majority Leader; the Chief Whip and the Deputy Whip from the ruling party while the opposition would produce the Minority Leader; Deputy Minority Leader; Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.
The source said, ” Kalu is still in the race, when the time comes, some Senators from the North will back him, he is seen as one of us, he started his early life with us in the north, we trust him.
” The party is behind him, a lot of progress has been made and we have been asked to keep our lips sealed. There is already a deal on ground between Kalu and Yari.”
Yari and members-elect from the North are still pushing for a different agenda, especially the position of Senate President inspite of the announcement of the zoning template of leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly by the ruling.
Vanguard gathered that Governor of Sokoto State and Senator- elect, Aminu Tambuwal, PDP, Sokoto South; Senator- elect- Aliyu Wamakko, Sokoto North; former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly, House of Representatives Matters, Senator- elect, Sumaila Kawu, NNPP, Kano South; Senator’ elect, Sahabi Yau, APC, Zamfara North; a ranking Senator and former Governor of Gombe State; another Senator-elect elect from Zamfara; a Senator- elect from Katsina State, among others are pushing for Yari as the next President of the Senate.
Despite the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the South South, with it microzoned to Akpabio, these former governors from the North, members of the National Assembly from the ruling party and the opposition have continued to carry out secret campaign for Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara State. Yari who is also a Muslim.
A source told Vanguard that ” we the supporters of Yari have decided to go under ground and continue with the campaign to avoid being harassed by the party and the government. We are in APC, LP, NNPP and others.”
Recall that Kawu while speaking on Trust Television this week, had said that 73 Senators- elect were already backing Yari’ aspiration.
Recall that the Senator Abdullahi Adamu led National Working Committee, NWC of the APC had three weeks ago given direction to where the leadership of the 10th National Assembly will come from as it zoned the Presidency of the Senate to South – South and microzoned it to Senator Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom and Deputy Senate President to North West in person of Jibrin Barau, Kano North.
Similarly, in the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass from North West was endorsed by the APC leadership as the preferred candidate for the position of the Speaker. Benjamin Kalu from South East emerged as the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.
The arrangement may be based on the fact that the president-elect, Bola Tinubu and his Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, are both Muslims as well as the head of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN , Justice Kayode Ariwoola who is a Muslim.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that despite the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the South South, Senators- elect Kalu and Yari have been holding nocturnal meetings with other Senators- elect from all the Zones to cajole and solicit for their support.
One of such meetings was held on Monday in one of the Districts of Abuja with a former Governor from South South, Yari, Kalu, some ranking Senators from the North Central in attendance to speak that a zone cannot have two Presiding officers as being postulated by the leadership of the APC.
There was a follow- up meeting with some Senators – elect from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP; Labour Party, LP; Social Democratic Party, SDP; All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and Young Progressives Party, YPP.
A Senator- elect from the South who spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity during the induction for members- elect of the 10th Senate, warned that with the role being played by their Northern colleagues, if aspirants from the South refuse to be on the same page and find a common front in the next few days prior to the inauguration, the North will produce the next President of the Senate, who will also be a Muslim.
Recall that after the National Assembly election, of the present lawmakers in the red Chamber, 30 of the old in the present 9th Senate succeeded in the election, just as the ruling APC is comfortable with the majority of both old and new with a total number of fifty nine Senators; the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has a total number of thirty- six Senators; the Labour Party has eight Senators; the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP has two; Social Democratic Party, SDP has two, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the Young Progressives Party, YPP have one Senator each.
Investigations have shown that Akpabio already has forty- four guaranteed members- elect, only an agreement between Yari and Kalu can defeat him.
Sunday Vanguard also gathered that there is formidable group in the 9th Senate that have been re- elected who are pushing for Sani Musa as Deputy Senate President and sixty- six members have already expressed commitment to the project.
A source told Vanguard that the leadership of the party was still in search of solutions to the problems as there are plans to delay one of the first administrative assignments for the President- elect, Senator Bola Tinubu once he is sworn in as president and that is the proclamation for them to be sure that the party has got the required to achieve its zoning template.
The proclamation is constitutionally circumscribed that he would send an official communication to the Clerk to the National Assembly to convene the 10th National Assembly, get down to the business of electing the Presiding Officers and inaugurating the the Senate and the House of Representatives.
As gathered the APC may not want a repeat of 2015 when the outgoing President of the Senate was the favoured candidate of the APC for the position of Senate President, and with a majority in the Senate, he was expected to carry the day, but with smartness and battle of wits that played out, he did not get it.
It would be recalled on June 8, 2015, the day the formal election for Senate President was to be held, while majority of APC senators, about 50, were waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari who had invited them to a meeting with him at the International Conference Centre, Senator Bukola Saraki and other senators of the APC moved into the National Assembly Complex for the election of principal officers.
A total 57 Senators loyal to Saraki, most of them PDP members, unanimously elected him after he was nominated by Senators Dino Melaye and Sanni Ahmed Yerima and that was how Lawan lost out but he would later serve in the leadership of the Senate.
Also recall that Abdulaziz Yari, this week said that he was in the race for the Presidency of the 10th Senate in line with the constitution of the country and and not zoning arrangement made by any political party.
Answering questions from Journalists at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja at the ongoing Induction Programme for Members- elect of the National Assembly organised by the National Assembly and National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS who Yari insisted that he was still in the race as provided for by section 50 ( 2) of the 1999 Constitution, said that his aspiration was not an affront against his party , the APC, said, ” My aspiration for Presidency of the 10th Senate is covered by relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution which to me , is superior to any other law or arrangement .
He said, ” I am a loyal party man , nobody has told me that any position has been zoned to anywhere as far as the 10th National Assembly is concerned.
” Position of President of the Senate, is first among equals among the 109 Senators . Any Senator – elect who wants to occupy the position must seek for support of others which i am doing.
” It is hire and fire arrangement . I want them to hire me as President of the 10th Senate on the day of inauguration . Many of those approached by me , have given their supports and i won’t disappoint them. My becoming Senate President on the day of inauguration lies with decision that will be made by 108 other Senators that day and nothing else.”
The Labour Party (LP) in Edo State may be on the verge of losing another key figure, as Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South Senatorial District, is reportedly considering a defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Party insiders and political observers say the senator is under increasing pressure from APC leaders to switch allegiance, with recent developments pointing toward an imminent move.
Imasuen, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Petitions, Ethics and Privileges, recently stated that the Supreme Court’s verdict on the LP crisis might have come too late to prevent the damage already done, which has resulted in multiple defections across the country.
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The senator is said to have a close working relationship with several prominent APC figures in Edo State and has been seen at various public functions alongside them.
Notably, he once served as a senior legislative aide to his predecessor, Senator Matthew Urhoghide—now an APC member—and also acted as Director General of the APC Campaign Council for the upcoming September 21 governorship election.
Further fueling speculation, Hon. Eugene Utubor, Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Political Mobilisation and Engagement, visited the senator on Tuesday night to lobby him into joining the APC and supporting the governor’s developmental drive.
Sources privy to the lengthy meeting described it as productive.
In a statement following the visit, Imasuen praised Governor Okpebholo’s leadership, saying, “The governor has done remarkably well in such a short time. It is crucial that we come together to ensure the success of his vision for our people. Every well-meaning Edo citizen is encouraged to rally around the governor as he works diligently for our collective progress.”
While no official defection has been announced, Imasuen’s words and actions suggest his exit from the Labour Party could be only a matter of time.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has released the official fees and guidelines for aspirants contesting in the upcoming local government elections scheduled for July 12.
According to the document, jointly signed by the party’s State Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, and Secretary, Dr. Adeola Jokomba, chairmanship aspirants will be required to pay a nomination fee of N5 million, along with an administrative fee of N500,000.
In a bid to encourage female participation in the electoral process, the APC reduced the chairmanship nomination fee for women to N2.5 million, though the administrative fee remains at N500,000.
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Similarly, the party introduced incentives for young aspirants under the age of 40, offering them a 50% discount on the nomination fee while maintaining the administrative fee.
For aspirants living with disabilities, the party completely waived the nomination fee and fixed the administrative fee at N250,000.
Aspirants seeking councillorship positions will also pay fees, with male contenders expected to pay N1 million for the nomination form and N100,000 as an administrative fee.
Female aspirants will pay N250,000 for the nomination form, while the administrative fee remains the same.
The APC noted that youth aspirants applying for councillorship positions would also receive a 50% discount on their nomination fee, although they will still be expected to pay the full administrative fee.
For persons living with disabilities contesting for councillorship seats, the nomination form will be issued at no cost, but an administrative fee of N50,000 will apply.
The party also clarified that no separate fee will be charged for vice chairmanship positions.
“These fees shall be paid by way of bank draft in favour of the All Progressives Congress, Lagos State, State,” the guidelines stated.
Beyond the financial requirements, the APC outlined other conditions for eligibility. Chairmanship aspirants are expected to be at least 30 years old, while councillorship hopefuls must have attained the age of 25.
Academic qualifications require a minimum of a school certificate or its equivalent, with higher qualifications considered an added advantage.
The guidelines also set out the endorsement process for aspirants. For chairmanship hopefuls, five registered party members who are voters within the aspirant’s ward, local government or LCDA must endorse their nomination forms.
Councillorship aspirants will need the signatures of 20 registered party members from their wards.
The party emphasized the need for all aspirants to prove their loyalty to the APC and show active involvement in party activities.
Each candidate must also sign the party’s Code of Conduct.
“Only aspirants cleared by the Screening Committee shall be eligible to stand for election at the party’s primaries,” the guidelines noted.
In line with constitutional provisions, the APC further stressed that any party officeholder intending to contest must resign their position at least 30 days before the election or the party primary.
“All aspirants shall comply with constitutional provisions and requirements applicable to the public office they seek to contest for,” the party added.
The travails of Alabi Quadri, the chap who became famous by his rousing reception in front of the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s convoy during Nigeria’s 2023 election has been traced to a violent street fight in the Amukoko area of Lagos.
According to the Lagos State Police Command, the 18-year-old was arrested and charged to court after being linked to street violence in January.
This was disclosed in a statement on its X handle signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Saturday.
According to Hundeyin, the incident happened on January 22 when a group of youths clashed in a violent street fight that caused panic in the community.
He added that several people were injured, while public and private property were damaged.
Hundeyin asserted that some innocent passersby were robbed during the chaos.
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He wrote, “The Lagos State Police Command is aware of public concerns surrounding the case of Alabi Quadri, an 18-year-old who was remanded to correctional service following his involvement in violent attacks, public disturbance, causing extensive damage to public and private properties, and injuries to persons standing by in the Amukoko area of Lagos State earlier this year.
“On January 22, 2025 to be precise, a serious breach of public peace and extensive damage to public and private properties occurred in Amukoko when groups of youths engaged in violent confrontations that escalated into street fights for all, causing widespread violence, panic, and chaos.
“During the chaos, a number of innocent passersby were reported to have been robbed and injured.”
These, the Police spokesman maintained made officers quickly swing into the matter, with the aid of community members who witnessed the event offering useful information.
He added that victims of the robbery also gave statements and identified some of those involved.
He explained further that based on the investigation, Quadri and four others were arrested and taken to court.
He noted that the court then ordered that they be kept in custody while the legal process continues.
“In response, police officers of the command immediately launched an investigation into the incident.
“More crucial information was provided by members of the community, some of whom witnessed the incident and recognised several individuals involved.
“Victims of the robbery also came forward to give statements and positively identified the perpetrators. Following a thorough and transparent investigation, Alabi Quadri and four others were arrested and charged to court in connection with the crime.
“The suspects were remanded by the court to a correctional facility pending the conclusion of legal proceedings in the matter.
“The Lagos State Police Command undoubtedly reiterates its commitment to upholding the rule of law to ensure justice in all matters and also ensuring the safety and security of all residents,” Hundeyin added.
The command expressed commitment to justice and safety for all residents, urging the public to remain calm and allow the courts to decide the case.
“All police actions taken in this case have been in the laid-down processes and in accordance with due process, procedures, and based on credible evidence gathered during the investigation.
“We urge the public to remain calm and allow the judicial process to take its course and be fully exhausted in the case.
“The command remains open to engaging with the general public, opinion groups, and community stakeholders to transparently clarify every concern and ensure justice is served fairly and transparently.
“It’s statutory procedure in the Criminal Justice System and codes that police actions terminate where matters are taken to court.
“Members of the general public in Lagos State are enjoined to stay calm and peaceful, and allow peace to reign to ensure justice for all,” it added.
Recall that Quadri was freed on Thursday by a Magistrate Court in Apapa following legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, which found no evidence to support the armed robbery charge against him.
His lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said Alabi’s arrest and detention were part of a “diabolical frame-up” by two local thugs known in the Amukoko area as Lege and Baba Waris.
According to Effiong, the two men allegedly kidnapped Quadri near his home and handed him over to the police, claiming he was part of a street fight.
Effiong maintained that he had been receiving threats from the same individuals since 2023 because he received donations from supporters of Obi.
The family was reportedly pressured by some community leaders to buy a cow and host a feast to make peace.
Although the case was initially said to be about a street fight, the police charged Quadri with armed robbery on January 26.
He was sent to prison along with four adults he didn’t know.
Quadri’s age was also wrongly recorded as 18, according to Effiong.
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