The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday wrote to the Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki and the speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, stating their approval of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as majority leaders in the two chambers of the 8th National Assembly.
In separate letters signed by the national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, the APC asked the two leaders to take “necessary action” on the 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 letter addressed 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.
It us unclear if Saraki and Dogara will accept the party’s recommendation as this will sideline their own loyalists and in the case of Gbajabiamila in the House of Representatives, it will mean that both the deputy speaker and the majority leader will hail from the South West if approved.
