Senate Presidency: Senators-Elect, Not Party Will Decide Who Becomes What — Sen. Umeh

*As Yari ignores APC zoning, intensifies campaign

Indications emerged on Monday that Senators-elect may disregard the zoning formula of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and vote for candidates of their choice during the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on June 13.

Senator-elect on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) for Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, gave the hint in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists at the venue of the ongoing induction programme for Senators and Members-elect for the 10th National Assembly.

Umeh argued that though the APC as the ruling party and the party with the majority of seats in the Senate, had zoned the positions of President and Deputy President of the 10th Senate to the zones it considered should produce the leaders, it’s actually the Senators-elect that would decide the fate of those interested in the positions.

“APC as the ruling party and the party with the majority of seats in the Senate, has zoned the positions of President and Deputy President of the 10th Senate to the zones it felt deserve them, but on the day of the inauguration, Senators-elect will decide the fate of those interested in the positions as provided for by relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution,” he said.

This was as a former Governor of Zamfara State and Senator-elect for Zamfara West Senatorial District, Abdulaziz Yari, declared that he was contesting for the Presidency of the 10th Senate, notwithstanding the zoning formula of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Yari who made the declaration at the induction programme venue said that his aspiration was in line with constitutional provisions and not zoning arrangements made by any political party.

He pointed out that his aspiration was not an affront against his party, as insinuated by some party faithful, insisting that he is in the race as provided for by Section 50 (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

The National Working Committee of the APC had given direction to where the leadership of the 10th National Assembly should come from and zoned the Presidency of the Senate to South-South in the person of Godswill Akpabio and Deputy President of the Senate to North West in the person of Jibrin Barau.

“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. 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 the support of others which I am doing.

“It is a 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 support and I won’t disappoint them.

“My becoming Senate President on the day of inauguration lies with a decision that will be made by 108 other Senators that day and nothing else,” he said.

Throwing his weight behind him, another Senator-elect from Zamfara State, Sahabi Ya’u told journalists at a separate interview, that as far as he and many of the Senators-elect on the platform of APC were concerned, the zoning made by the party, was not known to them.

“I read about the zoning arrangement in the papers like other people. Nobody has discussed such a plan with us and in any case, Senators-elect are the ones to decide who they want as President or Deputy President,” he said.