President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, has told the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he does not intend to dictate to the National Assembly who their leaders should be, Sunday Trust has learnt.

General Buhari stated this position before the party leadership when the issue of where the Senate Presidency and Speaker of the House of Representatives was tabled at a meeting.

A source at the meeting quoted the president-elect as saying, “I may be wrong; I may be wrong; I may be wrong,” before explaining that he didn’t think it was appropriate for him to dictate to the National Assembly who their leaders should be.

Sunday Trust learnt that the president-elect argued that those elected into the Senate should be able to decide among themselves who should lead them.

There has been a back and forth in the party over which zones should produce the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Unofficial statements said the APC has zone the Senate Presidency to North-Central, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives is zoned to South-West. The two positions are being contested by the North-East which is insisting on either of the two positions.

Already groups have emerged in the two chambers of the National Assembly, which have vowed to take over the leadership of that arm of government, with a resolve that no godfather shall determine who become the leaders.

A senator who is involved in the group told Sunday Trust at the weekend that, “If we’re in the United Kingdom, we should have been called members of the House of Lord. If we’re Lords and another godfather is dictating who leads us, then we’re not. We’ve decided to ensure that members of the Senate decide who leads them, not Buhari, not Tinubu.”

Sunday Trust learnt that the group called “Like-Minds” has about 70 members made up of elected senators from the six geopolitical zones and across party lines. “We have among us people like Senators Bukola Saraki, George Akume, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Shehu Sani, Dino Melaye, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, many returning and new senators are among us.

“As it stands, there is not endorsement of any candidate for the positions of the Senate President or even Deputy Senate President. Everybody is campaigning. You remember that North-East Senators even came out recently to say they didn’t endorse Senator Ibrahim Lawan for Senate Presidency. At the right time, we’ll surprise everybody because we’ll produce a Senate President of our choice.”
The Publicity Secretary of the “Like Minds” is newly elected Senator Dino Melaye. When our reporter called him to explain why the group is opposed to being dictated to from outside the Red Chamber, Senator Melaye said he was busy, but promised to explain the situation in greater detail to our reporter later.

Meanwhile, a group of some North Central lawmakers have distant themselves from a reported endorsement of Rep Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of House of Representatives in the next Assembly.
The lawmakers, who claimed ignorance of the said endorsement, are Hon Emmanuel Udende, Hon Chris Adabah, Orker Jev, Mark Gbilah and Hon Adamu Entonu, all from Benue state.

A statement published in some national dailies at the weekend indicated that about 20 lawmakers from the North Central zone, under the North Central Caucus platform, are backing the candidacy of the House’s present minority leader for speakership position.
But in a statement issued yesterday, some of the members whose names were among the 20 members dissociated themselves from the list, arguing that they were not consulted before the publication was made.

“We want make it abundantly clear that at no time we sat to endorse Hon. Gbajabiamila as Speaker. Our names were only added to the list and we didn’t sign the notice. “We are still awaiting the decision of the APC on zoning of National Assembly leadership positions. Both our constituents and Nigerians should be guided,” said the statement.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/news/20658-buhari-will-not-impose-leaders-on-national-assembly

The change we've been waiting for is finally here.....


BUHARI my HERO!
AMEACHI my ROLE MODEL!!
FASHOLA my GUY!!!

God bless Nairaland.

Hmmm

And thats what we call a good leader
Buhari my Role model
Jonathan my vendor

This is a clear indication that GMB is ready and willing to work with anyone who emerges as Seneat president and Speaker HOR.

I believe this is a good development in our politics. Let the Houses decide who should lead them.

Tinubu and others really need to butt out of the constitutional affairs of Senators and members of the house. Let them choose their own leaders QED.

Gbajabiamila greatest undoing is that he is seen as tinubu's boy

asha80:
Gbajabiamila greatest undoing is that he is seen as tinubu's boy

He only needs to network and assure his colleagues he is his own man.

PassingShot:


He only needs to network and assure his colleagues he is his own man.

forget it...from what I am hearing other reps are having non of him especially pdp rep members

We cannot but Love this man.

He will surely live to fulfil this arduous task and shame the likes of Fayose et al.

Nigeria shall surely rise again.

Though Tinubu's role in Buhari's victory was remarkable,Tinubu himself knew the kind of strong willed character buhari is when he threw his hat into the ring.
Secondly,senators outside the Swest cannot and do not see themselves as owing their victory or any kind of allegiance to Tinubu.
I feel the resistance is more against Tinubu than to GMB and once they have any clear sign,like this report would seem to suggest, that GMB would not interfere in their choice of leaders, then d senators would fight tooth and nail against any outside imposition.
Finally,in as much as Tinubu contributed a lot to GMB's victory,the best thing that can happen to a GMB presidency is to see Tinubu's wings clipped as much as possible, because very tough decisions and actions will be taken by d president,that would affect a lot of Tinubu's interest and maybe permutations,adversely, if GMB is to succeed.

“We want make it abundantly clear that at no time we sat to endorse Hon. Gbajabiamila as Speaker. Our names were only added to the list and we didn’t sign the notice.

I said it before, someone played a dummy on the SW.

Mogidi:


I said it before, someone played a dummy on the SW.

I swear the moment I saw your moniker I expected to see a stup1d post. I just pity your father

abduljabbar4:

I swear the moment I saw your moniker I expected to see a stup1d post. I just pity your father

How far?

So that when a corrupt accomplice/supporter like Saraki or Akume takes over the NA leadership, he will wash his hands off and say I wasn't involved?

Mogidi:


I said it before, someone played a dummy on the SW.

Trashy as usual

Who cares whichever position(s) come(s) to SW? All we want is a better Nigeria, the one we can all proudly call ours.

Whatever it is that will move Nigeria forward should be done.

nduchucks:
Tinubu and others really need to butt out of the constitutional affairs of Senators and members of the house. Let them choose their own leaders QED.

Exactly.

Matters of positions should be left to the party.

Is he supposed to impose NA leaders