Protest By APC Over Selection Of Principal Officers, While N’assembly Members Support Akpabio And Abbas

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, expressed his anger over the new leadership of the National Assembly announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. Adamu stated that the party was not officially informed about the sharing of the offices and considered the report of the emergence of principal officers as a rumor. The APC chairman called for a caucus meeting to discuss the matter and emphasized the importance of adhering to party traditions.

Despite the party’s position, several lawmakers supported the decision of the National Assembly leaders and endorsed the new principal officers. The Senate President announced the appointment of Opeyemi Bamidele as the Senate Majority Leader, along with other appointments for Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Whip. Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives announced the names of the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip.

The process of selecting the leaders deviated from the traditional method of the party submitting names to the Senate President, as lawmakers reportedly agreed on consensus candidates. Senator Akpabio defended the selection process, stating that it was democratic and involved the participation of lawmakers from different parties. However, some APC members expressed surprise and dissatisfaction with the outcome, while others acknowledged it as a majority decision.

The controversy surrounding the emergence of the National Assembly leaders drew attention and criticism. The Labour Party blamed President Bola Tinubu for the conflict, suggesting that the independence of the 10th National Assembly had been compromised. The Progressive Governors’ Forum pledged to intervene and resolve the conflict, attributing it to a communication gap between the party and its legislators. The forum expressed support for the National Assembly leadership and assured that the issue would be resolved through the party’s internal mechanisms.

In summary, the National Chairman of the APC expressed dissatisfaction with the selection of National Assembly leaders, citing a lack of official communication from the party. Despite the party’s position, several lawmakers endorsed the new principal officers. The selection process deviated from the traditional method, leading to mixed reactions among APC members. The controversy sparked criticism, with the Labour Party blaming President Tinubu for the conflict. The Progressive Governors’ Forum pledged to intervene and resolve the issue through internal party mechanisms.