National Assembly leadership: Buhari accepts Saraki, Dogara; APC kicks; Atiku, Tambuwal, PDP, others congratulate them

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he has taken note of the outcome of the just-concluded election of leaders of the National Assembly, though he would rather that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed.
Senator Bukola Saraki was elected Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was elected Deputy Senate President, Senator David Mark, also of the PDP was made Leader of the Senate, while Hon. Yakubu Dogara was elected House of Representatives Speaker, all contrary to what the leadership of the APC had agreed in the mock primaries they conducted for their members elect.
A statement by the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, said that nonetheless, the President took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred.
“President Buhari had said in an earlier statement that he did not have any preferred candidate for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected,” Adesina said. “That sentiment still stands. Though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party.”
Adesina stressed that the stability of the nation’s constitutional order and overall interest of the common man were uppermost on the President’s mind, as far as the National Assembly elections were concerned.
The President called on all the elected representatives of the people to focus on the enormous task of bringing enduring positive change to the lives of Nigerians.
In a statement by his media office, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar Tuesday, congratulated the newly elected leaders of the National Assembly.
He advised them to see their elections beyond the narrow interests of respective political parties.
He noted that with the elections of its presiding officers, the 8th National Assembly should swing to work and put the overall national interest beyond the personal political interests of its members.
The Turaki Adamawa said that with the election of its presiding officers, the 8th National Assembly had prepared the ground work for a full legislative business.
He reminded every member of both the Senate and the House of Representatives of their responsibilities to their constituents, which, he said, was to put national interest before their individual political interests.
He urged the 8th National Assembly not to lose focus irrespective of emergence of presiding officers, adding that it must be seen as a partner in progress with the other arms of government, especially the executive arm.
Atiku added: “The Nigerian people look up to the new National Assembly to work with the executive arm in finding solutions to the problems of insecurity, poverty, illiteracy and joblessness in the country.
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on his part, congratulated Senator Saraki and Hon. Dogara over their elections and equally felicitated with the Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives over their elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja Tuesday by his spokesman Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal commended members of the two Chambers of the National Assembly for exhibiting high sense of maturity and defence of legislative ethos in the choice of their leaders.
He reiterated that the outcome of the National Assembly elections indicates that democracy has come of age in Nigeria and that the doctrine of the independence of the legislature is gradually taking firm root.
Tambuwal, who is the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, admonished those who were unsuccessful in the contests to regard their actions as positive contributions to democratic process and accept their defeat in good faith.
He urged all Nigerians to rally round the new leadership for them to execute their mandates.
He expressed confidence in the ability of those who emerged, saying their various experiences will steady the ship and allow the new APC-led Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, to deliver on their electoral promises to all Nigerians.
The Governor admonished the new leaders to carry all members along and ensure that unity, peace and stability pervades the Assembly at all times.
The APC leadership, however, Tuesday, kicked against the emergence of the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
The party described as totally unacceptable and the highest level of indiscipline and treachery the conduct of Tuesday’s inauguration of the National Assembly that led to the emergence of Senator Saraki and Hon. Dogara
”Senator Bukola and Hon. Dogara are not the candidates of the APC and a majority of its National Assembly members-elect for the positions of Senate President and House Speaker. The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives. All National Assembly members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that decision.
”The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members,” the party said in a statement issued in Abuja Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
”Consequently, the APC leadership is meeting in a bid to reestablish discipline in the party and to mete out the necessary sanctions to all those involved in what is nothing but a monumental act of indiscipline and betrayal to subject the party to ridicule and create obstacles for the new administration,” it said.
APC decried a situation in which some people, based on nothing but inordinate ambition and lack of discipline and loyalty, will enter into an unholy alliance with the very same people whom the party and indeed the entire country worked hard to replace and sell out the hard won victory of the Party.
”There can be no higher level of treachery, disloyalty and insincerity within any party,” the party said, vowing to resolve the matter using all constitutional and legal means available to it.
Meanwhile, the APC has asked all its loyal Senators-elect to please report to the Senate to be sworn-in in order to discharge their constitutional duties.
There was, on the other hand, celebration in the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after the emergence of Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker respectively.
The new opposition party congratulated the newly elected Senate President, his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu as well as the new Speaker, Hon. Dogara, noting that their elections underscored the fact that no section of the country should be neglected on national issues.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Tuesday described the development in both chambers of the National Assembly as “victory for democracy and triumph of the time-honored value of the PDP that every zone and segment of the country must at all times be given a sense of belonging in governance”.
The PDP assured that it would continue to partner with like minds in other political parties and groups to ensure that the nation’s democracy, which it nurtured in the last 16 years is sustained in the overall interest of the Nigerian people.
“What is paramount to the PDP is the sustenance of our democracy and the wellbeing of our people, irrespective of creed, class or ethnicity. The PDP is therefore willing and ready to partner with like-minded individuals in other political parties and groups to sustain our democracy, ensure good governance and promote the unity and stability of our dear nation. Nigeria as a nation belongs to all of us. Its interest therefore must be put over and above personal, partisan or group interests at all times.
“In this regard, the PDP notes with gratitude, the immense contributions of the immediate past Senate President ‘the Baba of the National Assembly’, Senator David Mark for the decency and mature manner with which he ensured the smooth take off of the 8th National Assembly”, the party said.
The statement also commended the PDP Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus for successfully galvanizing PDP members in both chambers of the National Assembly, which contributed to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
The PDP charged its members in the National Assembly to continue to uphold the tenets of democracy and enforce the constitutionally vested parliamentary role of check and balances to ensure the much desired accountability and probity in the polity.
PDP Senators celebrate after emergence of Saraki as Senate President
Finally, it urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop whining and accept the will of the people, respect the independence of the legislature, as the PDP is not responsible for their naivety and crass inexperience.
Governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, also congratulated the National Assembly for electing Senator Saraki and Hon. Dongara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
In a statement in Lagos Tuesday, Agbaje described the emergence of the two legislators and other officers of the twin chambers as a triumph for democracy.
“The honourable Members and distinguished Senators have clearly demonstrated that lawmakers need not be divided along party lines when it comes to matters concerning the country’s interest and the people’s welfare,” he said.
Agbaje prayed that the eighth assembly would display as much selflessness and maturity in working for the benefit of Nigerians.
Also applauding Senator David Mark’s emergence as Leader of the Upper Chamber, Agbaje said it was a testimonial to the former Senate President’s leadership credentials, which helped maintain stability through the nation’s trying moments these past few years.
“As usual, Distinguished Senator David Mark, as Senate Leader, will help create stability in the hallowed chambers,” he said. “Although serving now in a lower position, he will bring his usual maturity and experience towards entrenching sanity and towards steering the Senate in a most nationalistic direction.”
According to him, the transparent and civil manner in which the two chambers of the National Assembly elected their leaders clearly demonstrated that Nigeria could begin to take her place among the world’s democracies.