The All Progressives Congress (APC) Integrity Group has endorsed Sen. Mohammed Musa (APC-Niger) as its preferred candidate for the Deputy Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.
The group said this in a statement signed by Malam Dawu Mohammed, its Coordinator on Sunday in Abuja.
“As our great party, the APC begins the search for the leadership of the 10th Senate, after our successful presidential and National Assembly election victory on Feb. 25.
“We of the APC integrity group insists that only lawmakers who have showed strong commitment to the progress and development of our great party must be given the opportunity to pilot the affairs of the Nigerian Senate.
“We are also convinced that only a leader who understands the vision of the APC can point others to such direction.
“And this is who Sen. Mohammed Musa epitomises considering the numerous assignments he has undertaken for the party,” Dawu said.
This, he said, included funding party activities and other logistical supports at the local, state and national levels.
He said the group had studied the political calculations and strongly support the reports of the party zoning the senate principal of offices.
He urged the party’s leadership to consider retaining its leadership voice at the Senate and take into mind, the services and efforts made by some of its leaders and stakeholders, especially in the North Central Zone.
“We ask the esteemed APC National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and the Board of Trustee (BOT) of our great party.
“Alongside the National Working Committee (NWC) to consider loyalty to the party, legislative ingenuity, astute leadership qualities.
“And a person who is able to work with the Senate President, as a Deputy Senate President to carry all 109 Senators along for a peaceful, effective and efficient legislative service delivery for the country.
“Musa’s ingenuity at using legislative machinery to solve national issues such as electoral matters is seen in proposal that birthed the card reader used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in previous elections,” he said.
He added that the card reader no doubt was a major advancement in the country’s electioneering.
Dawa said that no other person best fitted the description than Musa who had sponsored a total of 26 bills, of the 21 per cent total legislations sponsored by North Central Senators in the Ninth Assembly.
“We have followed the antecedents of Musa and have come to the conclusion that with the current trend, calibre of new, young and outspoken politicians who are coming on board from the opposition parties.
“Especially the PDP and Labour Party, a Musa as Deputy Senate President would be of immense benefit to our party at the National Assembly level,” he said.
He added that Musa had remained a solid rock for the APC in Niger, contributing immensely to the party’s resounding victory in the state.
Dawa said the Senator had hosted several campaigns rallies for the party’s candidates, not only in his senatorial district, but the state in general.
“We at the APC Integrity Group having followed his steps at the outgoing Ninth Senate, sees Sen. Musa as a great asset that our great party needs.
“Not only to have our way in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, but to win other lawmakers to our side.
“It is our believe that though we have won the presidential election and secured the majority at both the Senate and House of Representatives.
“It is only when we get it right with the right leadership at the 10th Assembly that we can sustain the momentum we have been able to create across the nation,” he said.
Dawa said the group was made up of members of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), Action Congress (AC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA).
Musa represents Niger East at the National Assembly.
Group endorses Wase as 10th Speaker, House of Representatives
Similarly, a group known as PL-25: Twenty-five APC Progressive Leaders, has endorsed Ahmed Wase, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, as its preferred candidate for 10th Speaker of the House.
Mr Lekan Ogunleke, the Secretary of the group disclosed the endorsement on Sunday in Abuja.
Ogunleke said that Nigeria needed a team player like Wase as the 10th Speaker of the House to build on the achievements of Femi Gbajabiamila, the outgoing speaker.
He added that the next speaker must have the ability to carry all lawmakers along in spite of political divide.
“This is because a lot of first-timers will be coming into the house, a perfect team player and an experienced leader would therefore be needed as the speaker to ensure stability and good leadership.
“Wase will be a perfect fit as the country’s next speaker because of his long legislative experience,” he said.
Ogunleke said the group was formed in 2019 to promote the ethos and values of the progressive party saying it was committed to good governance, charity, philanthropy, progressivism, egalitarian society and due process.
Mr Ade Omole, a member of the group who also spoke with NAN, said the 2023 general elections showed that power had returned to the people.
He added that the introduction of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) by INEC was the game-changer in the Presidential and National Assembly election as it returned power to the people.
This, Omole said, was because the device had made rigging nearly impossible during the election.
He said that there were surprises at the poll and the bookmakers got their permutations wrong following major upsets and earthquakes that characterised the election.
“Even the APC lost Lagos State which is one of its strongholds to the Labour Party which had never happened in the country’s political history.
“Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the APC National Chairman also lost his senatorial zone to the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, Sen. Ahmed Wadada who emerged the winner of the Nasarawa South Senatorial District election.
“At least seven outgoing governors could not win the election in their bid to cross over to the senate after their second term as governors,” he said.
Omole said that Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State also lost Enugu North Senatorial District to Labour Party’s Okechukwu Ezea, while Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu equally lost.
He added that all these would certainly play up ih the 10th Assembly as many first-timers and new lawmakers would be coming in, saying that a strong match with great legislative experience would be needed as the speaker.
He described Wase as a fine gentleman with unparalleled legislative experience that could perfectly fit into that position, saying there was no need to look further.
Omole said that the success of every democracy rested on the quality of the parliament which underscores the need to always have in place a team player as the head.
Also speaking, Dr Wole Aboderin, a member of the group said what the country needed at this point in time, was a stabiliser, a go-getter and a team player.
He added that while Sen. Bola Tinubu, the President-elect had proven himself as a man with the capacity and ability to turn things around for good while he was governor of Lagos State for two terms, he needed a speaker with experience to work with.
Mr Ajibola Akindele, another member of the group said looking at the performance of some key political players in the country, Wase stood out as a man with great capacity and legislative experience.
He said that Wase had contributed immensely in giving shape to the country’s legislature since the birth of democracy in 1999.
Akindele added that in spite of challenges, Nigeria’s parliament remained one of the best in the comity of democracies around the world.
“The quality of the legislature determines the direction all government policies go and are implemented because besides making laws, the legislature oversights the execution of the laws.
“And because of these critical constitutional roles, the legislature has provided a solid foundation to the pillars that hold democracy everywhere it is practiced.
Akindele said that Wase was a household name on the Plateau and in the politics of the state and within the legislative community in the country.
He said that since 2007, Wase had remained a force to reckon with in the country’s legislative scheme and the world generally.
“He is not just the Deputy Speaker in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, but also the Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament.
“He is today, one of the finest legislators that have built experience and a wall of solid political friendship with other political players across the country’s six geopolitical zones,” he said.