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Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! - Politics - Nairaland

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Nigerian President Or King Of The North?, By Femi Fani-kayode / House Leadership: Tension As Northern, S’east Reps Protest Exclusion / APC NWC Meets In Abuja Over Power Sharing & Formation Of New Government (2) (3) (4)

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Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by wales(m): 7:06am On May 05, 2011
Members of the House of Representatives from the South-east said yesterday that the zone would not accept any position in the in-coming administration short of that of the Senate president or Speaker of the House of Representatives. In a statement jointly signed by 43 members of the House from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States in Abuja, the lawmakers alleged that “the South-east geopolitical zone of Nigeria has suffered serious political setbacks,” some of which had been self-inflicted while others were imposed in recent times.

They noted that the zone had demonstrated absolute good faith in the recent presidential election when it “whole heartedly and unconditionally” backed the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan, following what they called the block votes given to him by the zone at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.“It is pertinent to mention here that under the present circumstances only the position of Senate president or Speaker of the House of Representatives is acceptable to the South-east. It is a gratuitous insult to offer the South -east any position less than this,” the lawmakers insisted.

According to to them, the argument about religious balancing is not historically tenable even as they pointed out that in “the Second Republic, while the president (Shagari) was a Muslim, the vice president, Senate president and Speaker were all Christians. Hell was not let loose. During the 1993 presidential elections, the South-east put its weight behind the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Muslim - Muslim ticket of MKO Abiola and Babangana Kingibe.”

“In 2007, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, were Christians. In fact, in the current legislature, both the speaker and the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims. Religion has never been an issue. How has it now crept in surreptitiously?”
“We call on Ohaneze Ndigbo, all the governors of the South-east, all Senators and honourable members-elect and all stakeholders in the politics of the South-east, who were in the forefront in convincing the people of the South-east to support President Goodluck Jonathan to once again rally round and ensure that the South-east is not further humiliated.

“We insist on either the offices of the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives. We will reject other offices such as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Deputy President of the Senate or any such office that may be offered to undermine the attainment of the two offices so mentioned.

“Our patience, support and loyalty must not be taken for granted. In the words of Mr. President, ‘enough is enough.’”




http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/may/05/national-05-05-2011-001.htm
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by EzeUche2(m): 7:11am On May 05, 2011
cool cool cool

Unity

Enough is Enough President Jonathan.

Our support was not for free.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Rhino5dm: 7:24am On May 05, 2011
^^ Damn you GEJ payed for the support.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by ektbear: 7:29am On May 05, 2011
Hehe. This should prove entertaining smiley
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by wales(m): 7:42am On May 05, 2011
;d ;d ;d ;d

Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Gbawe: 7:51am On May 05, 2011
ekt_bear:

Hehe. This should prove entertaining smiley

Indeed. Were we not told this was a marriage made in Heaven? Why do some in the SE feel they must give GEJ the "all or nothing" choice? If the SE is now totally sure GEJ is their 'local champion' (as silly and as repellent as that notion is) then why not wait and see how events unfold? GEJ will have an authoritative input regarding important PDP decisions but one should point it out that he would have to be careful with any overt insistence as per zoning of office and we all know the reasons for this. GEJ still has to work with guys like OBJ and other so that a harmonised position is reached . Some people may want to fool themselves that GEJ's word is law but , logically, we all know that is not the truth and this is the reason for this "all or nothing" talk.

It is only those who are naive who have concluded that there was ever a chance GEJ would lead partisanly for any region. If anything , with all eyes on him , and at a time when GEJ will prefer "national unity" and consolidation rather than confrontation, Mr. President will have to go out of his way to be seen as not favouring the SE and SS outrightly. It is hardly Rocket Science.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Nobody: 7:54am On May 05, 2011
Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nduka Eya, who spoke with The Guardian yesterday, stressed: “We are still consulting to fashion out a strategy on how to meet with the President on the issues bothering the zone. We however believe that it is payback time for our efforts but we cannot be talking at variance with one another. We have to sit and harmonise our views the same way we did before the election, so that whatever we decide shall be the view of Ndigbo.

“We cannot do this individually. We are embarking on consultations and we have the feeling that the President knows our desires and need not be reminded that we deserve whatever we request as a zone in support of his administration.”

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46860:jonathan-pdp-meet-over-zoning-new-cabinet&catid=1:national&Itemid=559


grin grin grin
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Demdem(m): 8:13am On May 05, 2011
What benefits will the region benefit from such abegii? Starting with Enwerem, Okadigbo, Anyim etc what did the region benefit from these guys? I would have love a situation where they champion true federalism where more money will be channeled to the states for serious development that the people will feel than the status quo. I honestly see no sense in what they are fighting for now.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Gbawe: 8:38am On May 05, 2011
Demdem:

What benefits will the region benefit from such abegii? Starting with Enwerem, Okadigbo, Anyim etc what did the region benefit from these guys? I would have love a situation where they champion true federalism where more money will be channeled to the states for serious development that the people will feel than the status quo. I honestly see no sense in what they are fighting for now.

This is the crux of the matter. We must learn from history or remain condemned to making the same mistakes our fathers made. Many of us who are adult and over 24 should have seen enough to note that history discredits the notion that suggests our region will benefit from "our son" having federal power . Once he joins the centre, especially one that is as self-serving as the PDP controlled centre Nigeria has seen for the past 12 years, then "your son" has new allegiances and 'priorities'.

Even the USA got it right when it stated that the PDP is not a Political Party in the purist sense since it has not demonstrated developmental and ideological commitment that matches Party manifesto. Rather , the Americans view the PDP as a unification of "individuals" dedicated to self-interest , "sharing the national cake" , Self-promoting 'deal making' and personal aggrandizement. Any region that perseveres with the PDP may come to regret it in future because the assembly of rapacious folks , convened to profit from the misery of the majority, cannot change overnight.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Demdem(m): 8:44am On May 05, 2011
^^^ Thanks Gbawe for expanding my thoughts. I appreciate it.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by zstranger: 8:56am On May 05, 2011
Unity

Hmmmm

There is an apps for that, created by the Yorubas of course.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Gbawe: 9:43am On May 05, 2011
http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/21465-zoning-jonathan-summons-mark-to-obudu-south-west-bounces-back-to-reckoning-south-east-govs-mobilise-against-obj

Zoning: Jonathan summons Mark to Obudu •South-West bounces back to reckoning •South-East govs mobilise against OBJ

Written by Taiwo Adisa, and Idowu Samuel, Abuja Thursday, 05 May 2011

AS part of his ongoing consultations on the formation of the next administration in line with the federal character principle enshrined in the constitution,

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday invited the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, to the Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State, venue of his seven-day retreat.



Sources in Abuja confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that Mark left Abuja on Wednesday afternoon to answer the call.

It was confirmed that the President of the Senate had consulted a number of his outgoing colleagues and some notable senators-elect before embarking on the trip. He was also said to have held consultations with the acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Haliru Mohammed, in Abuja.

Sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the invitation extended to Senator Mark by the president was to enable the Nigerian leader and the outgoing Senate President to finetune the focus of the next National Assembly as well as the power sharing formula that would be adopted in the configuration of the new National Assembly.

Sources said that the consultation with Mark would also lay the foundation of the president’s mindset on the zoning arrangement.

Sources said that the South-West zone appeared to have bounced back into reckoning in the power equation at the National Assemnbly following feelers that President Jonathan is disposed to the retention of the zoning arrangement as constituted in 2007.

[b]Said the source: “The president is of the view that he cannot change the goalpost in the midst of the game. He had told all Nigerians that he was going to serve out the tenure of his late boss, which is supposed to last till 2015. He is aware that the zoning arrangement that came into being in 2007 was meant to subsist for eight years were it not for the act of God that brought him to power. That is why he is not thinking of altering the zoning arrangement substantially.”

The source said that with the plan to retain the existing zoning arrangement, the South-West would now produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while the North-Central will retain the Senate presidency.

As a way of maintaining the sanctity of the legislature and religious balance in the political calculations, the source said that a South-West Muslim, who is also a ranking member of the House of Representatives would be made to pick the Speaker’s slot.

It was also gathered that the PDP which will announce the zoning pattern is expected to meet with top zonal leaders of the party so as to enhance internal cohesion.

A source close to the party also said: “We view what is going on among senators-elect and members of the House as far as demand for zoning of offices is concerned as part of the democratic rights of members. But it is within the powers of the party, which is the custodian of all positions to give directions that will enhance national unity and coexistence. The party cannot afford to throw away the party’s zoning arrangement for offices in a way that would contravene the constitution or undermine the existence of our party in a particular zone, especially the South-West.”
[/b]
Meanwhile, sources close to the presidency said on Wednesday that President Jonathan did not have any agreement to retain any of the outgoing presiding officers of the National Assembly in their positions.

The source said that what was paramount was that the president had enjoyed a good working relationship with the National Assembly and might want to repeat the same scenario if any of them made it at the election.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors from the South-East may have picked up battle garbs against former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who they are reportedly considering as a stumbling block against their aspiration to grab the speakership of the House of Representatives in the next political dispensation.

The governors, who held a crucial meeting in Enugu, on Sunday, the Nigerian Tribune could reveal, had resolved to meet President Jonathan to formally present their request to him in Obudu Ranch.

Findings revealed that the governors were predicating their suspicion against Obasanjo on the moves he was said to have been made to retain the speakership position in the South-West.

There have been reports that the PDP was not disposed to an idea of taking away the speakership position from the South-West, having reportedly felt at home with suggestion that the status quo ante be retained on the zoning arrangement in the interest of peace and progress of Nigeria.

In the event that the status quo was kept on zoning, President Jonathan would represent the South-South, with his deputy standing for the North-West, while the Senate presidency would still be held by the Middle-Belt, just as the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation would be offered to the South-East.

The position of the Head of Civil Service and other positions would go the North-East.

In separate chats with aides of the governors, it leant that the governors, under the aegis of South-East Governors Summit, had collectively vowed to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the PDP did not have its way, as they were said to be galvanising opinions of all Igbo political leaders towards a common ground on the issue and had, again, scheduled another meeting for Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, on Sunday.

A prominent member of the Igbo Political Leaders Forum, Udenta Udenta, confirmed in a chat that the South-East zone was interested in the speakership position, adding that” though we merit it, we are aware it will not be given on a platter of gold and so we will fight for it.”

Udenta warned that the South-East would not take it lightly in the event that it was denied its request in the new political equation of Nigeria.

He confirmed that the governors would be holding a summit on Sunday and that the issue of power sharing would top the agenda.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by zstranger: 9:53am On May 05, 2011
Ibo people sha

Always jealous of the Yorubas

First it was madam Dora saying SW should not produce Senate President, then she started fighting Ngige because of his link with a Yoruba party, and now all Ibo reps ganging up against Yorubas producing the next speaker.

Hmm, very funny. Small minded people.

Losers!
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Nobody: 10:11am On May 05, 2011
Political appointments will neither develop the south east economically nor politically. What did the past senate presidents from the south east offer their region? They should unite for something more important than this.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Gbawe: 10:27am On May 05, 2011
J12:

Political appointments will neither develop the south east economically nor politically. What did the past senate presidents from the south east offer their region? They should unite for something more important than this.

Indeed and that is why I keep telling folks that it is the SW folks , with how they voted unitedly , that showed they have gained knowledge from occurrences in the past 12 years that should show discerning adults that the overtly federal structure of Nigeria is not particularly working well for any region .  What did David Mark and Dimeji Bankole do for their region as senate President and speaker of the houses respectively or should I rephrase the question to ask that what would both have been allowed to do for their region when they are members of a Party that another Nation (America) openly criticised as a congregation of selfish stakeholders devoted to self-aggrandizement and protection of the status quo far more than to National developement?

It is as if some folks are condemned never to learn from the past. A PDP senate President is , first and foremost, entirely devoted to the interest of the PDP than to anything else . It is as simple as that and many years of history bears this out . What has Ekweremadu, as Senate President, done for the SE other than to label patriotic Nigerians "charlatans" because they want him and his buddies to pass an[b] undiluted[/b] PIB (Petroleum Industry bill) ASAP?

Very disappointing , and part of the problem of Nigeria, that so called "educated folks" display crass ignorance once they think it is "our turn" without realising that those , from their region, who hold important federal positions are only concerned with aggrandizing themselves and their fellow "owners of Nigeria" from all corners of our Nation. One has to wonder how long it will take for some to see the big picture as it appears the SW has done .
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by sbeezy8: 10:51am On May 05, 2011
[quote ]
During the 1993 presidential elections, the South-east put its weight behind the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Muslim - Muslim ticket of MKO Abiola and Babangana Kingibe.”
[quote][/quote]

FUKIN LIE- why do some people like to lie? lol its quite funny
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by gadogado(m): 10:54am On May 05, 2011
All of a sudden, zoning must be strictly adhered to! IT IS HYPOCRISY THAT WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT USELESS COUNTRY DEVELOP.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by kobikwelu(m): 11:03am On May 05, 2011
^^^^

the solution to nigerian political problems, is , political

the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country suggest that all major/minor ethnic be given a federal presence

i know people will say, must there be ethnic clamouring for key positions I SAY YESS!!!
we kid ourselves when we think zoning of positions is wrong, it is the only answer
the key is to select the best persons from each of these zone to assume such positions,

even the presidency (thats the only way peace can be sustained in this country)

other countries use this zoning /power sharing model (what matters is we should tweak it based on our  perculiar structure)

one model is bosnia-herzegovina (croat, serbs and bosnians)
i was amazed that a country with such a violent past could come up with such a simple/practical politicial solution.

and yet people are complaining that zoning be scrapped,
naivety at its highest
   ***kindly google their political structure and see***
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by komando77(m): 11:34am On May 05, 2011
Some decievers and haters of Ndigbo are on this thead, trying to deceive Ndigbo. They should STFU!
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by houvest: 12:29pm On May 05, 2011
Suddenly what is good for the goose is not good for the gander. Let every zone get their rightful positions. It does not stop anybody uniting again for other developmental projects.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by EzeUche2(m): 1:51pm On May 05, 2011
OBJ needs to go back to the SW and deal with his fellow rascals.  angry
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by Chyz2: 2:08pm On May 05, 2011
I like this move. I see their strategy. It points at getting the Speaker of Reps position.We all know that one of the northern zones are going to get the Senate President position, more than likely David Mark is going to retain it which is great for us. If David Mark retains his position then we keep the Deputy position plus we get the Speaker position. Hopefully the SE plays the game well. They've got SS caucus support. NC would benefit from a SE alliance.Things looking pretty good.
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by baslone: 4:02pm On May 05, 2011
I think S/E should take the Senate Presidency. Since 2007,David Mark dulling the house for too long unlike his Predecessors.


Evan Enwerem(1999 - 1999)Ikeduru, Imo State,

He became the first President of the Nigerian Senate during Nigeria's Fourth Republic. Enwerem beat
his chief rival, Senator Chuba Okadigbo, for the Senate presidency on June 3, 1999. Former Nigerian
President Olusegun Obasanjo backed Enwerem for President of the Senate against Okadigbo. With the
support of the Obasanjo's allies in the governing parties, plus support from two Nigerian opposition parties,
A Nigerian Senate committee began investigating Enwerem for allegations of corruption in 1999. The allegations
against Enwerem alleged that he falsified his name, and caused a controversy as to whether Enwerem's actual
real name was Evan or Evans.Enwerem was removed from office on November 18, 1999, in an ouster spearheaded
by allies of Chuba Okadigbo. However, though removed as President of the Senate, Enwerem remained a member
of the Senate until 2003 August following year, Enwerem briefly expressed interest in again assuming the presidency
of the Senate. However, Enwerem withdrew from the race in favor of Senator Adolphus Wabara at the shadow
election conducted by PDP Senators in Senate Hearing Room One.



Chuba Okadigbo(1999–2000)Ogbunike, Oyi Anambra State

On August 8, 2000, Chuba Okadigbo was impeached as Senate President for corrupt acts following
a damning inquiry into corruption and mismanagement in the Upper House. Among other things, he
was accused of spending $225,000 on garden furniture and having an excessive number of official vehicles
- 32 in total, buying 8 cars for $290,000. He claimed to have spent $340,000 furnishing the official home
to his taste, $120,000 over the authorised budget. The inquiry uncovered what it characterizes as inflated
procurement contracts in the National Assembly overseen by Okadigbo, some of the contracts awarded to
companies in which legislators had a financial interest. Okadigbo initially refused to resign despite being heavily
implicated by the inquiry and had to be impeached by the Senate before he gave up his position.




Anyim Pius Anyim(2000–2003)Ivo LGA, Ebonyi State,


In May 2001, Anyim declared that the upper legislative house was justified in probing the activities of the
Mines and Power Ministry during the tenure of Chief Bola Ige. In June 2002, an attempt led by Anyim to
impeach President Olusegun Obasanjo collapsed. Speaking a year later, Anyim said President Olusegun Obasanjo
misunderstood him on certain issues but there was no conflict between them. In August 2002 he said he was
opposed to all the present office holders - including himself - going for a second term. In November 2002 Anyim
indefinitely suspended Senator Arthur Nzeribe of Imo State due to an allegation of a N22 million fraud. Nzeribe
was said to be planning an impeachment motion against Anyim. The same month, after Anyim had complained about
the Independent Corruption Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Senate set up a committee
to examine the continued relevance of the commission. In May 2003, Anyim warned an Abuja High Court judge, Justice
Egbo Egbo, that the parliament had the power to order his arrest over his opposition to the passage of the anti-graft
ICPC law by the Senate.




Adolphus Wabara(2003–2005)-Abia South


Adolphus Wabara was elected to the Senate in 1999, and reelected in 2003. He was president of the
Senate of Nigeria from 2003 to 2005. In the April 2003 election Wabara was first declared the loser to
D.C. Imo, candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP), but won a court appeal in June 2003 and was
declared elected. The decision was controversial.In May 2004 senators moved to investigate Wabara over
alleged financial misdeeds. President Olusegun Obasanjo supported the decision. The senators accused Wabara
of exceeding his authority by handing out various contracts without the knowledge or approval of the responsible
Senate committee. An additional allegation was made by Senator Bode Olowoporoku, who denied receiving a
N3 million advance that the Senate President said had been paid to him for a tour of Europe and Latin America.
Wabara said he was ready for the probe, and said the allegations were false, raised by Igbo senators who wanted
his position. In April 2005 Wabara resigned from his position after allegations were made that he and others took
a $400,000 bribe from the education minister, Fabian Osuji
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by kasiem(m): 8:28pm On May 05, 2011
This a case of eating ur cake and trying to have it back. Ooh, i thought that SW have got nothing to do with mainstream politics?
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by aljharem3: 11:07pm On May 05, 2011
gadogado:

All of a sudden, zoning must be strictly adhered to! IT IS HYPOCRISY THAT WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT USELESS COUNTRY DEVELOP.

that is nyamaria for u

thay say something and do another
Re: Power Sharing: It’s Either The Senate President Or Speaker -s’east Reps ! by sbeezy8: 11:35pm On May 05, 2011
Lol haha why all this type of politics demanding this n that? Its quite funny I thought GEJ is d old east no be so? The best thing for PDP to do is not give any position to any thieving sw pdp member. That will be the death of pdp in the region and the party in the future I KEEP SAYING IF THERE ARE NO PDP SW how will GEJ or ANY SOUTHERNER WIN PDP PRIMARY IN 2015 and BEYOND? lol

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