Senate’s peace: The massive endorsement of Saraki

Even with the hydra-headed dimension the crisis in the National Assembly, NASS, had taken, the prospects of respite was never in doubt. But how soon the breathing space would come was a question that even the warring factions could not have responded to readily. The game of brinkmanship witnessed in the manner the various camps had conducted their supposed fence mending affairs, simply created the notion that the impasse had become cancerous to statecraft. It was a situation that saw Senators Kabiru Marafa and Humkuyi separately threatening to ground the Senate upon resumption to bring about leadership change. The duo had said that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, would be impeached when the senior legislative chamber resumed session. Speaking on behalf of the pro-Lawan legislators, Marafa urged Nigerians not to believe that there was a leadership in place in the Senate, stressing that a proper leadership would be put in place. Though this interesting posturing may have passed as mere threat, observers were, however, convinced that it got an already overheated polity reverberated. Findings revealed that this frustrating air of uncertainty that pervaded ahead of resumption prompted the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led committee to summon a meeting last Sunday. The meeting held in Room 301 of the Senate chambers, with the sole aim of troubleshooting ahead of the resumption. Rather than bringing the warring groups together as intended, the governors met the feuding legislators separately same night. Why? No one was sure what could happen were they to have been seated in the same room with the bile of dissent still full. Whether the nocturnal gathering which lasted till early in the morning achieved desired results was a matter of ambiguity. Nonetheless, there was some level of cautious optimism on the part of the governors,Sunday Vanguardgathered. It was with bated breathe that Nigerians waited for the D-day, the resumption of plenary, which attracted a huge number of people to the Senate chamber. In a dramatic or better still decisive move, to end the deep-seated crisis, 34 senators elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and 47 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators passed a vote of confidence in Saraki, Ekweremadu and the entire leadership of the Senate. Having commenced the session amid friendliness but yet charged atmosphere, Marafa was given opportunity to speak. Expectedly, the attention on Marafa at that moment was high, as some expected thunder and brimstone. But that was not to be as he raised a point of order on the time of sitting making Saraki to admit that there was printer’s devil in the Rule Book. Other activities slated on the agenda had followed peacefully in sequence until Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East) moved a motion of vote of confidence on the principal officers in line with orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended). The motion, seconded by Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West), was co-sponsored by 79 other senators. Melaye had produced a list of 81 sponsors and mentioned that there were others who wished their names were on the list but could not be reached to sign it before the sitting commenced. Interestingly, some supporters of Senator Ahmed Lawan, the lawmaker who was sponsored for the Senate presidency by the APC leadership against Saraki, in the Senate Unity Forum, SUF, like Senators Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central); Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa West); Monsurat Sunmonu (APC, Oyo Central); Olanrewaju Tejuoso (APC, Ogun Central) and Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC, Yobe East), were also co-sponsors of the motion. Other APC senators, who co-authored the motion, were Adamu Aliero, Ibrahim Gobir, Mohammed Ohiare, David Umaru, Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, Ahmed Rufai Sani, Sabo Mohammed, Mallam Wakili, Ibn Nara’ Allah, Danjuma Goje, Francis Alimikhena, Salihu Egye, Ibrahim Abdullahi and Binta Masi Garba, among others. When the Senate President called for votes on the motion, there was no dissenting voice from senators – including those who had been opposing the election of Saraki and Ekweremadu. Even Marafa, Lawan and Senator George Akume (Benue North-West), who were also present, did not object. While moving the vote of confidence motion, Anyanwu noted with dismay “the continued harassment of the Senate and senators, the National Assembly management and spouses of senators by security agencies of government. The motion read: “Determined to continue to perform its constitutional duties and responsibilities without fear or favour; “Further determined to focus on matters of interest and importance to the ordinary people of Nigeria in view of the enormous challenges facing the nation; “Considering the sustained interference in the internal affairs of the Senate by detractors and media propaganda against the Senate and Senators by selfish politicians; “The Senate, hereby, resolves to pass a vote of confidence on: (a) the President of the Senate, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki; ( b) the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; (c) the entire Senate leadership as presently constituted; “To call on the Nigeria Police Force and all other security agencies in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be used by any person or persons to harass, intimidate or blackmail the Senate, senators and or their spouses”- that was the motion. The passage of the vote of confidence on Saraki’s leadership effectively laid to rest insinuations of rancour among senators, who were displeased with the Senate President. With that, it becomes important not to lose sight of the implications of the headway which affirmed overwhelming support for the Senate leadership. The numeric strength of Saraki’s supporters implies that he boasts of more than two-third majority of the senate membership needed to pass the most important motions. Another impressive aspect is the fact that with the domination of 36 APC senators with 45 PDP, who are supportive of the Senate leadership, the upper chamber could best be described as bi-partisan. It is noteworthy that Saraki has been reaching out to the other group, even with the little distribution of committee chairmanship that he has made. For example, of the two committee chairmanship he has allocated, the Unity Group got the better one and perhaps one of the few most influential positions as Sen. Jide Omoworare was made Chairman of the Rules and Business Committee. This committee is the engine room of the Senate as it directs its activities. It is one of the few positions that ranks next to being in the leadership position. Again, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee reviewing the state of roads and areas suffering environmental degradation is Chief Barnabas Gemade, another leader of the Unity Forum. In addition, Marafa, the gadfly and rambunctious spokesperson of Unity Forum is also a member of the Business and Rules committee. This, no doubt, is a demonstration of broad-mindedness on the part of the Senate President and signposts the pursuit of a united Senate. With these, it means Saraki is making his appointments based on merit. Omoworare, a lawyer, was the Majority Leader in Lagos State House of Assembly for eight years. Also, Gemade, an engineer, served as Minister of Works under the military regime and is one of the most knowledgeable Nigerians on infrastructure. What Nigerians now expect in this regard is for the lawmakers to further shun divisive politics that is capable of distracting them from the core business of governance and delivering change to their constituents.