As the contest for the office of the Senate President intensifies, various political blocs in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown their weights behind different gladiators for the office.

Prior to the emergence of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari as the president-elect, there were three political blocs within the APC, which won the March 28, 2015 presidential election and secured majority seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

These political blocs include the Buhari/Northern bloc which is made up of the president-elect and his supporters who have been with him for 12 years and collapsed their structures into the APC during the merger process; the Tinubu/South-west bloc led by former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who decamped to APC in 2013 led by Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Senator Bukola Saraki.

Hence, the battle for who occupies which position is championed by these blocs with the possibility of arriving at a consensus in the end.

It is against this backdrop that the Tinubu bloc has thrown its weight behind Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, for the office of the Senate President while the Amaechi bloc is pushing hard for the emergence of Saraki.

A top source in the Tinubu camp told THISDAY on Monday that Akume has the backing of Tinubu and his group which is believed to be the strongest bloc in the party, but may not have the number in the Senate to push through their goal.

According to him, the group is supporting Akume for three reasons. First, he said Akume has been with Tinubu’s group since its days in the ACN, culminating in his emergence as the Senate minority leader.

Second, he said Akume is senior to Saraki in the Senate having been in the Senate since 2007 while Saraki became a senator in 2011.

Third, the source said Tinubu and his men understand Akume far better than Saraki whom he said is not close to the bigwigs in the group like Akume.

“The Tinubu group is backing Akume because Saraki seems to be more or less an outsider (to the group). Besides, Akume has long been in ACN and he is a senior to Saraki. He is also better understood by Asiwaju than Saraki,” the source said.

THISDAY also learnt that one other factor not in Saraki’s favour is his tribe as a Yoruba man though geographically located in Kwara in North-central Nigeria.
In this regard, it was learnt that power brokers in the party have said it might be difficult to sell the candidacy of the former governor for the office to the Nigerian public in view of the fact that the vice-president-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is also a Yoruba man from Ogun State in the South-west.

A source added that it would be a hard sell for two Yoruba men to become number two and three citizens respectively even though they are from different geopolitical zones.

Despite the hurdles in Saraki’s way, the Amaechi group is said to be relentlessly pushing for his emergence as the next Senate President.

On the other hand, the agitation of North-east senators to produce the Senate President is said to have had the backing of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

The senators have implored the leadership of the APC to zone the office to their region on the grounds that it is the most marginalised zone in the country.

Among the senators jostling for the office in the North-east are former Gombe State Governor, Danjuma Goje, who represents Gombe Central in the Senate and his counterparts in Yobe East and Yobe North, Bukka Abba Ibrahim and Ahmed Lawan respectively.

A senator from the South-west, Professor Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central), has also indicated interest in the race.

THISDAY also learnt that given the interest by different contenders for the office, it may be difficult for the power brokers in APC to reach a consensus with the gladiators on who would become the next Senate President.

Hence, a source said if a stalemate prevails, there may be a repeat of the episode in the House of Representatives in 2011 when members of the House opted to elect their speaker and deputy in violation of the ruling PDP zoning agenda which had zoned the two offices to South-west and North-east respectively.

It was against this background that Aminu Tambuwal from the North-west and Emeka Ihedioha from the South-east emerged the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.

Given the emerging scenario, a source told THISDAY that the Senate might be forced to decide who leads them through an election that is based on the coalition built by each of the contenders for the post of Senate President among their colleagues.


http://247nigerianewsupdate.co/senate-presidency-tinubus-camp-backs-akume-amaechi-others-push-for-saraki/

Their interests is what affect the masses positively or negatively and unfortunately, the masses have no say in this.

I hope the right person emerge as the senate president by God grace

North cum southwest conspiracy = change
Let's see how tinz unfold
I wish d general well buh I doubt if his friends will do sam
Only time will tell

Saraki should forget the post of senate president. Saraki is Yoruba and is deputy will be Yoruba also, which will not sell.GOJE MAY EMERGE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

criminals!!!

The Ranking rule favours Akume since he has been in the senate before saraki and he's currently the minority leader and leader of the APC caucus in the senate. Saraki should chill and wait for his time.

Saraki is no doubt a very intelligent man, he's bold and smart.

But he's extremely dangerous, you should fear a man of ambition and who'd do anything necessary to achieve it. He'd be thinking he didn't do that much for the party to "chill".

Again, you can't keep him away from holding such powerful position lest he cease it by whatever means necessary, he won't care how many heads will roll or even damage the unity in the party. What he want is what he wants, with whatever means necessary. That's his moto

Saraki's emergence will be disastrous..the guy is dangerous

Tinubu's choice is smarter, Saraki shouldn't be chosen

David Mark should key into this struggle and lobby 15 APC Senators to support him together with PDP Senators and other minorities to effect the democratic coup.

Well, if you ask me, I think it would be a bit unfair if Benue retains the position given the fact that they held it for 8years under Mark. Akume can be given the position of Senate Majority Leader. Whatever it is, they should show restraint and decorum as they go about lobbying. The party needs that more than ever before.

Don't play with saraki oo...that guy is extremely dangerous. ..better chill with akume

I back Akume for this. Saraki should be made the Deputy. He, Saraki has a better political security than Akume. Saraki should be patient as his time would come.

Jorussia:
Saraki should forget the post of senate president. Saraki is Yoruba and is deputy will be Yoruba also, which will not sell.GOJE MAY EMERGE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

How is Saraki Yoruba? Saraki is from the same region of Nigeria as Akume!

sinkhole:
How is Saraki Yoruba? Saraki is from the same region of Nigeria as Akume!

I didn't say he is form south west,I said he is YORUBA. Geographically, he is from north central,but that doesn't mean he is not a YORUBA MAN.There are I jaws in ONDO,that does not mean they are from s/s

That's their fvcking business

Jorussia:
I didn't say he is form south west,I said he is YORUBA. Geographically, he is from north central,but that doesn't mean he is not a YORUBA MAN.There are I jaws in ONDO,that does not mean they are from s/s

In that case, we are then talking of regions and not ethnicity, so if Saraki is there then nothing says somebody from Osun or Oyo can not be the deputy.

IsraeliAIRFORCE:
David Mark should key into this struggle and lobby 15 APC Senators to support him together with PDP Senators and other minorities to effect the democratic coup.

left for me o, I still support the candidacy of Sen. David Mark, but if there is still rancour among the APC senators they should let Mark continue with the piloting of the Senate.

David Mark has done pretty well, I dont see Saraki clinching the position.

America, the European Union and APC are angry over their inability to control the OIL states of Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom States. It would have been disastrous if they had lost Lagos the nations key commercial nerve center.

All the local and foreign observers were concentrated in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta with minor focus on Northern States and hence the call for the cancellation of results there. It is a surprise to them that despite their presence in these States they still returned huge numbers for the ruling party PDP.

Perhaps Obama may be considering retrieving his US National award to Jega for uncompleted assignment.

omenka:
Well, if you ask me, I think it would be a bit unfair if Benue retains the position given the fact that they held it for 8years under Mark. Akume can be given the position of Senate Majority Leader. Whatever it is, they should show restraint and decorum as they go about lobbying. The party needs that more than ever before.

I share your sentiment on Akume, Goje should be considered for this plum job.....Saraki is a no-no!

tjfulloption:


left for me o, I still support the candidacy of Sen. David Mark, but if there is still rancour among the APC senators they should let Mark continue with the piloting of the Senate.

d way som of u guys talk sef eh,dey will settle dia matter before june.how will u say dey should mak a person from an opposition party d senate president.

......for Amaechi (a member of Tinubu's bloc within APC) to tip Saraki as against Tinubu's George Akume shows the beginning of the crack that may eventually put APC to rest in pieces......it also shows the naiveness and eccentric behaviour of Amaechi

Omololu007:
d way som of u guys talk sef eh,dey will settle dia matter before june.how will u say dey should mak a person from an opposition party d senate president.

Senate President David Mark has an outstanding qualities as a patriotic leader and elder statesman whom i see is responsible for the unity of purpose in the upper chamber, he is a political actor who has been able to bring to bear the importance of having a united Nigeria.

Jorussia:
Saraki should forget the post of senate president. Saraki is Yoruba and is deputy will be Yoruba also, which will not sell.GOJE MAY EMERGE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

North central bro. Not south-west

Pdp time to play smart. U wiill be d decider of the next senate presiident, so act smart n don't waste that 40votes on tinubu's candidate. If ttinubu go for akume, go for saraki. Pdp pls be wiise n show apc they r still learners!

season 1 episode 1

I prefer Saraki as our next Senate president but his being a Yoruba is the problem. So, let Akume have it.

I also want Saraki due to his role in capturingpower at the center, but Akume will be a better man for that job to ridicule David Mark.




Mod FP please

all of you talking thrash about saraki know nothing. saraki has contributed far more to the apc than akume. apc won all the seats in the state assembly elections in kwara state and also the national assembly results. the same didn't happen in Benue. that's why david mark came back. tinubu simply wants a man he can put in his pocket and that's why he prefers akume who is another ambode. saraki is a man of his own, was classmates with lamido sanusi at kings college. his dad was a senate leader in 70s.. tinubu is just scared he cant control saraki