How APC, Tinubu resolve ‘rift’ over NASS principal officers – Adamu
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, says the party has resolved the issues of appointing the principal officers of the National Assembly with President Bola Tinubu.
He said the issue was discussed during Wednesday’s party leadership meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja.
Tinubu on Wednesday met Mr Adamu and the National Secretary of the party, Iyiola Omisore.
Recall that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the names of the new principal officers of their respective chambers at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.
The new principals included the majority leaders, chief whips and their deputies.
However, shortly after the announcement, Mr Adamu disowned the officers, saying the list did not emanate from the National Working Committee (NWC), although the party governors under the auspices of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) endorsed the new officers.
The national chairman spoke during a meeting with the PGF led by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State on Tuesday at the party’s National Secretariat.
Mr Adamu had said he was unaware of the announcement of the party’s principal officers in the National Assembly and that the NWC did not transmit any list to Messrs Akpabio and Abbas.
“I am just hearing it as a rumour from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The national headquarters of the party, the NWC, has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices,” Mr Adamu said on Tuesday.
The comment by the national chairman created tension in the APC, reportedly prompting Mr Tinubu, a party member, to summon him and Mr Omisore to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where the issue was discussed.
‘Crisis now resolved’
After the meeting with Messrs Adamu and Omisore, the party and Mr Tinubu did not issue any statement on their decision concerning the crisis.
However, Daily Trust reported that the crisis over the principal officers of the ruling party at the National Assembly was resolved during the meeting.
“We have met the president, and the issues have been resolved. It’s a family affair, and there were some misunderstandings. We have resolved our differences,” Mr Adamu told the newspaper.
“Those eager to see the continuation of the conflict should please sheathe their swords. We have a complete understanding now.
“The president is the leader of our great party; we met him, and we are very satisfied with the discussion we had with him on the subject matter. As far as we are concerned, the issues have been laid to rest,” the national chairman added.
Standing orders of the House
The leader of the House is to be nominated by members of the party with the majority, not the NWC, according to the Standing Orders of the House.
“Leader of the House shall be a member nominated from among members of the majority party in the House,” Order 7 reads in part.
However, political parties with the majority in both chambers have recently been involved in choosing principal officers.
While the APC maintained the majority seats in the Senate and the House in the past, the then-ruling PDP NWC also appointed the principal officers.
