News Investigators/ The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, has denied knowledge of the new principal officers announced for the National Assembly, saying the party was not aware.
Mr. Adamu, a former senator told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja at the party’s national secretariat, that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was not informed of the positions.
He dissociated the party’s leadership from the majority leadership positions announced by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The party national chairman who spoke before the party’s NWC went into a closed-door meeting with APC governors otherwise known as the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) described the new as a rumour on social media.
Earlier at Tuesday plenary, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio had announced Ekiti central senator, Opeyemi Bamidele, as the senate leader of the 10th National Assembly.
Mr. Akpabio also named Sen. Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) as deputy majority leader, Ali Ndume (Borno South) as chief whip, and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as the deputy whip.
At the House of Representatives, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo) and Usman Bello Kumo as majority leader and chief whip respectively.
While Lola Ashiru emerged as senate deputy whip, Halims Abdullahi (APC, Kogi) and Adewunmi Onanuga (APC, Ogun) were named as deputy majority leader and deputy whip respectively.
Meanwhile, the minority leadership positions have been announced in both chambers.
They are: Simon Mwadkon as senate minority leader; Oyewunmi Olalere, deputy minority leader; Darlington Nwokocha as minority whip and Rufai Hanga as deputy minority whip.
Similarly, Kingsley Chinda (PDP), was announced as House minority whip; Aliya Madaki (NNPP) as deputy minority leader; Ali Isah ( PDP) , minority whip and George Ebizimawo (LP) as deputy minority whip.
However, the APC national chairman said: “I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices.
“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 either the president of the senate, deputy senate president, speaker or deputy speaker, is not from this secretariat.
“We are going to formally inform you that we are going to have a caucus, and for quite a time, there has been no caucus in place,” Mr. Adamu said.
He added that the caucus had been reconstituted according to the party’s Constitution.
He, however, said that the party’s NWC would listen to the governors on all issues, take their advice and work in compliance with the provisions of the party’s Constitution.
“We hope that we will be receiving some reports from the PGF, chairman, or his representative, to get to know about your feelings and what is going on.
“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,” he said.
Mr. Adamu said the PGF would be provided the party’s detailed accounts from April 2022 to April 2023 which had been audited and submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Also speaking, Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma said the meeting was to brainstorm and to enable the governors contribute their ideas to building the party and the country generally.
He, however, said the party’s leadership had a responsibility to sensitize progressive governors and all progressive minds in the country on government policies and programs.
This, he said, was critical to get their support and put them in a better position to market government policies to critical stakeholders, labour unions, the political class and the private sector.
According to the Imo governor, this will enable them understand the benefits of certain decisions taken by the government recently.
“We are completely loyal to the party, and we assure its leadership that all the governors here are constructive partners to the job of building our party.
“And we are willing to work with the party and submit to its ideas and norms, we don’t have another party, this party is the largest party in Africa, and we will have to run with it.
“So, I want to congratulate all of us for the victory and successes recorded so far and by the grace of God, we will continue to record more successes,” Mr. Uzodimma said.
