APC rejects Bamidele, Ndume, others as principal officers

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the lawmakers announced as principal officers of the Senate and house of representatives on Tuesday.

TheCornet had reported that the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had during Tuesday’s plenary revealed that the APC Caucus consented to Senator Opeyemi Bamidele as the Majority Leader.

Others so named are Senators Ali Ndume, (deputy majority leader); Dave Umahi (chief whip) , and Lola Ashiru (deputy chief whip).

Likewise, House of Reps’ Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, named principal officers of the lower parliament as follows: Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (majority leader); Abdullahi Halims ( deputy majority leader); Usman Kumo (chief whip); and Oriyomi Onanuga, (deputy chief whip).

The announcement, however, did not go well with the party leadership as its national chairman Abdullahi Adamu described the selection as a “rumour”.

Adamu, at a meeting of the party’s national working committee on Tuesday, said that the announcement was a “rumour from the online media.”

Adamu clarified: “The national headquarters of the party, the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of officers.

“And until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions.

“So, whatever announcement is done is not from this secretariat.”

The chairman said the NWC is ready to take counsel from the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and a newly reconstituted caucus to better position the party.

“We hope that we will be receiving some reports from the Progressive Governors Forum chairman, or his representative, to get to know about your feelings and what is going on,” Adamu said.

“And what is your thinking on what to do to improve the chances of the party and therefore reduce the problems and bickering that we have been hearing from time to time?

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“Then we will have time by the grace of God permitting, we will have interactions.”