In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo sought to exercise control in the 4th National Assembly by doing all he could to ensure the emergence of Evans Ewerem and Salisu Buhari as Senate President and Reps Speaker respectively. He had his way, but barely two months later, Salisu was disgraced out for age and certificate falsification, was succeeded by 41 year old Ghali Na’abba.
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The Na’abba led House overturned some of Obasanjo’s vetos, and even made attempts to impeach him until eminent Nigerians intervened. Na’abba lost his reelection in 2003.
In the Senate, Evans Ewerem was disgraced out as Senate President over name falsification 6 months in office and he was succeeded by Chuba Okadigbo – a nemesis of President Obasanjo. Though Okadigbo was also removed, his successor, Ayim Pius Ayim, was also an opposition to OBJ.
In the 5th NASS, 53 year-old Aminu Masari (who was seen as elderly) was elected Speaker. Obasanjo thought it would be smooth but the 4 years with Masari House was turbulent.
Adolphus Wabara who was elected the Senate President was also a thorn on Obasanjo’s flesh. Obasanjo made attempts to get Senators to remove him but was unsuccessful. Luckily for Obasanjo, Wabara was accused by EFCC of receiving N50m bribe from Education Minister Fabian Osuji, and was removed from office. Ken Nnamani, who succeeded Wabara, was equally a bone in Pres Obasanjo’s throat.
Wabara, Nnamani and Aminu Mansari played significant role to ensure the failure of Obasanjo proposed third term constitutional amendment. As payback, Obasanjo stopped Masari from succeeding Yar’adua as Governor, and ensured that Nnamani and Wabara didn’t get Senate return ticket
In the 6th NASS, President Umaru Yar’adua was unbothered about the politics of the presiding officers. But Obasanjo (then ex-president and PDP BoT Chairman) was very much interested to consolidate his influence in the system. He ensured that David Mark and Patricia Etteh were elected Senate President and House Speaker respectively. But Patricia was forced out over N628 million alleged fraud just four months in office, and was replaced by 39-year-old Oladimeji Bankole.
Following the death of Yar’adua on 5th May 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan, a protégé of Obasanjo, sought to retain the status quo in the 7th NASS but Bankole could not make it back having lost reelection in 2011. In his stead, President Jonathan anointed the 51 year-old Mulikat Akande Adeola from Ogbomoso (Oyo) as Speaker, but some ‘opposing’ PDP Reps teamed up with opposition legislators to elect 45 year old Aminu Tambuwal instead. That 7th House was a thorn in the flesh of Jonathan all through his tenure.
In the Senate, David Mark retained his seat and was a dependable ally to President Jonathan.
When President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated President, his party, APC, preferred Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for Senate President and Speaker respectively, but ‘opposing’ APC legislators alongside opposition PDP members overturned Buhari desire in favor of Bukola Saraki and 48-year-old Yakubu Dogara respectively. The relationship between the 8th NASS and President Buhari was anything but cordial to the extent that both legislative leaders switched alliance to the opposition PDP.
In the 9th NASS, Saraki couldn’t earn a return to the Senate, while Dogara, who returned to the House, could not seek for another term as Speaker because PDP was minority party. President Buhari (serving his second term) still endorsed Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for Senate President and Speaker respectively- which they both won. This paved way to make President Buhari (2019-2023) as the only President since 1999 that succeeded in installing his preferred choices as presiding leaders in both Houses of the NASS for the entire period of his four years.
As we await the inauguration and election of the 10th NASS leadership, the APC and President-elect Bola Tinubu already named Godswill Akpabio and 54-year old Tajudeen Abbas as preferred choices for Senate President and House Speaker. The choices are being challenged by others who are interested in the two top offices.
For the House, aspirants, especially those from the Northcentral are querying the choice of Tajudeen, insisting on producing the Speaker. For the Senate, Uzor Kalu (Southeast) and Abdulaziz Yari (Northwest) are seeking to stop Akpabio
Should either Akpabio, Tajudeen(anointed Speaker) or both fail to emerge, Nigerians may witness a fresh four years of Executive-Legislative turmoil.
June 6th will tell whether the President-elect Tinubu will employ his widely acclaimed mastery in politicking to play to produce his men as leaders of the NASS.
NOTE: The writeup is without prejudice to the cases at the Tribunal.
Source-Nairaland Forum
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