Race for Nigerian Senate Leadership hots up

Race for Nigerian Senate Leadership hots up
Obiora Ani, Abuja

New and returning elected officials in the Nigerian senate have commenced serious jostling and horse trading for the choice position of the senate president, as the 6th National Assembly wind down this week.

Incidentally, the incumbent Senate President, David Mark, is among the One Hundred and Nine Senators coming for the 7th Nigerian National Assembly schedule to commence from the second week of June.

Senator Mark, on April 9 this year, won the senate seat for Benue South senatorial district in north central Nigeria for the 4th consecutive time, making him one of the most experienced lawmakers in Nigeria's political history.

Also coming in the fray for the 7th National Assembly are some other tested politicians, some of them, past governors who had managed the affairs of some of the thirty six states in Nigeria.

A number of such former governors have indicated interest in the leadership of the 7th Nigerian senate. They are Mohammed Danjuma Goje of Gombe state, Joshua Dariye, former Governor of Plateau state and Abdullahi Adamu former governor of Nasarawa state. Interestingly these senators elect are from the North central where the plum job is zoned to by the ruling party, PDP.

Therefore, the battle for the plum job of Nigeria's senate presidency is between Senator David Mark, some of his fellow ranking senators and some of the governors who were recently elected at last month's polls.

Mark’s Advantage

David Mark has been the Nigerian Senate President at the inception of the 6th National Assembly, which started on June 4, 2007, and he is gradually winding down and preparing for the senate election which determines the next senate president in June.

In the nearly four years of Senate President David Mark's leadership of the Senate and National Assembly, Nigeria had had tumultuous moments and highly trying political moments.

He has been able to rise to the occasion and sustained the integrity of the upper house.

The most effective of his deft move and political wisdom, was exemplified before and after the former Nigerian President, Umar Musa Yar ‘Adua's death on May 5 last year after a protracted illness which led to his treatment in a Saudi hospital.

David Mark and his colleagues coined the now famous ''Doctrine of Necessity'' through which the National Assembly under the leadership of Senate President David Mark empowered the then Vice President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to Act as the country's President, to ensure that Nigeria did not crumble, following the bickering generated by the illness of the late President Yar Adua.

This singular act to many brought back stability to the nation.

Charming legislative experience

Many political analysts have also come to the conclusion that Senator Mark’s years of experience in the senate since 1999 has brought to bear his exemplary leadership in law making body in the last four years.

To many political followers, the Nigerian Senate President has more than stabilized the Senate and indeed the National Assembly within this period.

In the words of Senator Victor Oyofo, who served in the senate from 1999 and 2007, “with the leadership of Mark, the outgoing senate witnessed a lot of stability.''

“The senate has never been this stable since we returned to democracy. Senator David Mark has brought stability and friendly relationship between the three arms of government, the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary,'' Oyofo said.

Party endorsement

In the wake of the current jostling for the leadership of the senate, leading lights in the ruling party including the President have expressed their support for Senator David Mark to continue as the Senate president for the upcoming 7th National Assembly in Nigeria.

The Northern Governors Forum, an umbrella body of governors of the 19 Northern States of Nigeria recently expressed their support for Senator Mark as the Senate President of the 7th National Assembly.

Leading the North Central Senatorial caucus, Senator Smart Adeyemi, said there was no other senator that is eminently qualified to head the senate than Senator Mark.

According to him, '' about 77 senators, both serving and newly elected have endorsed the candidature of Senator David Mark''. Senator Uche Chukwumerije from the South East caucus, and Senator Victor Ndoma Egba from Cross River State, representing the South South caucus in the senate also endorsed the candidature of Senator David Mark.

“In Udoma Egba’s word Senator Mark has had the most remarkable tenure since 1999. His administration has brought dignity, maturity and level headedness to the senate. The new administration will require a mature and stable senate if it will deliver on the promises of democracy,'' he said.  

Senate rules amendment

However, the amendment of Senate Standing Orders 2007, which ensures that only experienced and/or ranking senators take the position of the Senate President and the leadership of Senate Standing Committees among others, is a tonic for the ambition of David Mark.

Many believe that this intended move is to shut the door behind some of the newly elected senators who are nursing the ambition of vying for the senate presidency.

The induction course, for the new law makers across the country has remained a veritable ground for horse trading and major arteries to the realisation of the ambition of Senator David Mark.

Qasim