Twice Have The Senators Spoken, “Power Belongs To Us” -By Chuks Okocha

Never in the history of the National Assembly that within 120 days, the Senate has expressed its preference and confidence on its leadership as it has done twice in the eight senate. First on July 28 and secondly on September 29.

In both instances, the senators expressed and passed a resounding vote of confidence on the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu as well as the entire leadership of the senate.

What is rather more consistent is the pattern of the vote of confidence on the Saraki led Senate and National Assembly. On July 28 this year, 35 senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 46 senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) passed a vote of confidence on the Senate President.

Again, a day after two months precisely on September 29, the senators repeated the same vote of confidence on the Senate President, Deputy Senate President and the entire leadership. This time around, the same pattern was followed, but it exceeded the earlier number. This time around, 35 APC senators and 49 PDP senators passed another resounding vote of confidence on the amiable President of the Senate.

This is rather significant, because it is rendition of what the Psalmist said in Psalm 62 verse 11, when it is said, “God has spoken once and twice have I heard this, that power belongs to God”. God spoke on June 9 2015, when Saraki emerged the Senate President and twice has his colleagues’ senators confirmed what God has said when they unanimously passed two votes of confidence on the Senate President, the Deputy Senate President and the entire leadership of the senate.

This time as was the situation on July 28, it was moved by an APC a senator from Niger state, Senator David Umoru. While moving the motion, Umaru said the 1999 Constitution guarantees the independence of the legislature under the principle of separation of powers.

According to him, the Senate remains focused and would continue to perform its constitutional responsibility as warned against external interference, insisting that the Senate would not be distracted by attempts to blackmail and embarrass the parliament.

In view of this, Senator Umoru said, “The Senate notes that the provisions of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the separation of powers and the independence of the legislative arm of government.

“It further notes that the legislative arm of government remains the mainstay of democratic governance, liberty, freedom, fair hearing, checks and balances and above all, the protection of human rights of the citizenry.

“The Senate is determined to focus on matters of national interest and of importance to the ordinary people of Nigeria and other issues that will enhance their safety, livelihood, social and political wellbeing.

“It is further determined to continue to perform its constitutional duties and responsibilities in defence of democracy and the rule of law for the betterment and development of the nation, Nigeria.

“It notes with dismay the attempt and continued interference in the internal affairs of the Senate by detractors and media propaganda against senators, the Senate and its leaders by selfish politicians.

“Considering the ongoing unwarranted embarrassment and aspersions being cast on the Senate and its leadership, we are determined that the Senate shall not allow itself to be distracted, deterred or succumb to cheap blackmail in the course of carrying out its constitutional responsibilities by any individual or group of people under any presence or guise for personal political interest.

“The Senate hereby resolves to pass a vote of confidence on the President of the Senate, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the entire Senate leadership as presently constituted; calls on innocent Nigerians, groups and political associations not to allow themselves to be used by any person or persons to harass, intimidate or blackmail the Senate, senators and its leadership.”

The main import of the two votes of confidence is that leadership is derived from the senators and not imposition of senators on the senate. This is one of the basic reasons of avoiding the ‘Banana peel’, an euphemism for change in the leadership as encapsulated by the former President of the Senate, late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo.

It should be noted that senators are basically first among equals and therefore the Senate President derives his status as their leader from and among his co senators. This is exactly what happened at the plenary of the senate on September 30 2015, when the Southwest senators wrote to inform the Senate President that Prof. Olusola Adeyeye, a senator from the southwest geo political zone has been appointed the Senate Chief Whip. He was not appointed by the party, but by his colleagues from the Southwest geo political zone. This is what happened when other principal officers of the senate were elected courtesy of their fellow senators from their geo political zone.

This brings to the question, “why should the party appoint presiding and principal officers for the senate. “ Did the party appoint members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) aka Ministers for President Muhammadu Buhari. As in other climes, once after election, partisan issues and politics take the back seat and governance becomes the main issue of the day. It was therefore to allow partisan politics take back seat and allow good governance to take first seat that the senators are enjoined to choose their leaders.

The lawmakers should be therefore allowed to present who leads then. This is one of the basic ways to avoid the Banana Peel wahala that dominated the Fifth senate, where Senate Presidents were changed as if they were changing clothes. But under the present dispensation, the leadership of the senate emerged in line with the dictates of the senators.

Chuks Okocha is Special Assistant to the President of Senate on Print Media