Mixed feelings greet new parliamentarian elections in Nigeria… as Nigerians speak
Nigerian Senate
LONDON: 06/06/2011
A mixed reaction has met the new leadership in the Nigeria’s Senate and House of Representatives following the emergence of David Mark and his former Deputy, Ike EKweremadu as Senate leaders in the current dispensation.
Our initial reports show a complete disenchantment from Nigerians across the world as many are expressing their angers over the current development as many viewed Mark’s re-emergency as another setback for the nation. His Deputy, Ekweremadu also retained his post.
But in a further reaction as reactions stream to EMNnews, many Nigerians have expressed that the reemergance has shown that Nigerians want experience people to handle her affairs, while also commending the action of many political parties in ditching tribalism and zoning to elect a northerner into the House of Representatives at the expense of a South-West candidate.
According to Femi Adeoya, Leader and Convener of Patriotic Forum, a non-partisan advocacy group which recently started its public activities in Lagos:”The election of David MARK may not be a completely bad idea as there are hierachy in the nation’sNational Assembly that had been followed.
”David Mark was able to hold the senate firmly for four years, unlike the Senate Presidents during Obasanjo era who did not survive any reasonable length of time before being impeached”
He continued:“David Mark may be an old leader, but he is well experienced in legislating and the ability to hold the senate together is a rare one. He is a retired military man, and he’s well respected in the nation’s hierarchy of power.
David Mark
He however claimed his organisation ‘The Patriotic Forum’ has put together some agendas for the new leadership to focus on it order to make reasonable impacts in the current dispensation.
According to him, the agendas would be communicated to the nation soon.
According to Hon Ola Kazeem Falodun ;” the current parliamentary election is a welcoming democratic exercise. Zoning is not considered as a factor. They are elected by those we elected in the recently concluded 2011 election. So, no fuss about Mark emerging as Senate Leader”.
Human Right activist and Journalist, Kayode Ogundamisi was more satirical
“If I hear any Yoruba person scream marginalisation I will personally go into “rofo rofo” fight with that person, President-SS- Vice-President North. Senate President (Middle Belt). Deputy Senate President (South East), Speaker (North) Deputy Speaker (South East). Secretary to the Govt (South East) & Jagaban Bola Tinubu gets the official position of power broker to President Commander in Chief of the federation. Is that not enough?
Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
He however said his organisation is watching the nation’s development before making any stand on the nation’s political development.
He said his Organisation Nigeria Liberty Forum would not issue any comment until a full govermnent has been formed.
According to Kazeem Olowe:”The trick is that the Action Congress of Nigeria in the House will prefer to go with the Hausas than to vote for their brother from PDP.
He said that ACN voting for a PDP speaker from south west would amount to committing a political suicide, thinking about the future. according to him, ACN knew that voting a SW PDP in the House would mean empowering their enemy.
“Given their votes for Munirat can disrupt their party chances in the next election but now that it has gone to the North, PDP is assumed dead in south west, there may be some prices to pay but speaking politically, the party is very much on track.
House of Representatives
Isqil Najim, another respondent, speaking on the House of Representative election commended Action Congress’s decision to shun tribal politics. He said this is seen as a big leap and setting a pace for non-tribal politics.He added; “Shunning zoning in the House had finally nailed tribal politics in Nigeria noting that Nigerians benefit more from South West when they are not in power.
“It is a blessing in disguise. Watch out for South west in their best element in political discharge”,he said
Aside from that, PDP representative from South West are not true representative of the people. It would be a slap on South West face to have a presidential stooge as a Leader of House of Representatives even though being from the South West.
He wondered why the government did not prefer an ACN member as the Speaker!
If ACN voted Hon Mulikat, Nigerians will view tha party as tribal considering the fact that they are dominant in South west, and if voted, she could have been more loyal to the Presidency and OBJ and not the south west.
According to Olawale Omotaje:“It is clear that majority party in the House Of Representatives have displayed uncommon statesmanship that it will take a long time for the uninitiated to fathom or acknowledge. However, the main thing is the best candidate should win all the time and we should examine the agenda before the House. First of all, they should put Nigeria first by cutting the jumbo pay. According to him,:”The whole nation is watching.
Otunba Kenny Aluko, another respondent said the presidency in the House of Senate should have been given to a younger person in the house to start to develop in experience, except the current leader David mark want to be in government for ever. “We are just recycling our politician, no opportunities for the younger ones. It is a big shame”, he said.
Mark was re-elected president while Ekweremadu emerged the deputy in decisions many have seen as an attempt to cover up the misdeeds of the old leaders.
Nigeria: Forwar Ever
According to a political source, Mark is suppose to have been put under the periscope so that his activities as leader of the Senate in the past few years will be probed.
“The emerging news is tantamount to the crowning of mediocrity as our goal in Nigeria”, the source said.
” We thought we have got a deserved change and the current development may make many Nigerians to switch their loyalty to President Jonathan elsewhere with a vote of no confidence passed in the mind of generality of Nigerians”, added the source.
The voice of the political analyst may be representative of the feelings of many disenchanted Nigerians across the world who put hope on the currently sworn- in leaders to commence a new era of new beginning for Nigeria and Nigerians.
The election of Mark as Senate leader is likened to a betrayal irrespective of the normal democratic procedure as many hold the feelings that there is a breach of trust as the House members should have put the past behind and elect new blood.
Many are seeing the current situation as a continuation of the last mediocrity.
The election Mark and Ekweremadu were adopted on Monday during the inauguration of the seventh assembly. Their re-election was hardly unexpected, as both men got the endorsement of almost every senator before today.
Mr Mark’s return as the Senate president followed a motion moved by Ndoma Egba and seconded by Smart Adeyemi. Mr Mark was a unanimous candidate for the 108 sitting senators and did not pass through voting. He was sworn-in immediately by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa.
Mr Mark, a retired army general, has set a record for being the only Senate president to earn a second term in office. He holds the record for leading the most stable Senate since 1999. He lasted a full four-year term as Senate president and has been in the Senate since the fourth session was inaugurated in 1999.
Born in Otukpo, Benue State, on April 8, 1948, Mr Mark is married with children. He said he is deeply humbled by the solidarity shown him by his peers in the Senate.
“This sends a strong signal about the new Nigerian spirit, the birth of a new National Assembly, and the increasing maturity of our democracy. I promise to continue with, and even deepen the collegiate leadership style, which was the hallmark of the last session,” Mr Mark said while thanking his colleagues at the Senate.
The sixth Senate session, which ended the previous day, is adjudged to be the most stable the country has had since 1999. It had little skirmishes and there was not even an impeachment threat on the office of the Senate president, compared with last session.
With the two topmost principal officers elected, the Senate is now set to announce its full leadership line up by Tuesday.
House of Representative
Aminu Tambuwal (PDP Sokoto) on Monday emerged the new speaker of the House of Representatives . He scored 252 votes to defeat his opponent, Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP-Oyo) who scored 90 votes. The total votes cast was 340, with eight invalid votes and one member abstaining.
Mr Tambuwal’s nomination was made by Emmanuel Jime ( PDP-Benue) and seconded by Nnenna Ukeje (PDP-Abia).
The new Speaker, 45-year-old lawyer, was elected into the House for the first term in 2003. He represents Kebbi/Tambuwal federal constituency of Sokoto State.
The election, which was conducted through an open secret- ballot system, was handled by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa.
Emeka Ihedioha (PDP-Imo), who was the former chief whip of the House of Representatives, was elected unopposed the Deputy Speaker.
Musa Adar (PDP-Sokoto), the former chairman, House of Representatives committee on electoral matters nominated him while Friday Itulah seconded.
HON. AMINU WAZIRI TAMBUWAL…..the new Speaker Federal House Of Representatives Former Title: Deputy Chief Whip
Date of Birth: 10/01/1966
Marital Status: Married
Political Party Affiliation: People’s Democratic Party ( PDP )
State: Sokoto
Senatorial District: Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency
Date Elected 20/01/2010
Seat Up Date: 29/05/2011
Education: Barister at Law, Nigerian Law School
Occupation: Legal Practitioner
Previous Elected Office:
Legistlative Experience: Personal Asst. to Senate Leader
Committee Membership:
Previous Appointments:
Awards & Honours: N.B.A 1998
Interest(s) Judiciary, Human Rights and Rural Transformation
Achievement(s) Delivery of good and lasting democratic dividends to Nigerians through responsive legislation.
Addition By Emmanuel Ogala, NEXT
Related Posts
Short URL: http://www.emnnews.com/?p=17657
Posted by emnnews
on 9:48 pm. Filed under Breaking News, Featured.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
Nigerians have spoken. But I can see more battles ahead…we have not heard the last of this