Nigeria: Bamidele, Umahi Emerge Senate Leader, Deputy

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced Opeyemi Bamidele, senator representing Ekiti central, as majority leader, and David Umahi, senator representing Ebonyi south, as the deputy majority leader.

On the floor of the senate on Tuesday, Akpabio announced the principal officers of the majority party – the All-Progressives Congress (APC) – in the upper legislative chamber.

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, was named as chief whip of the senate, and Lola Ashiru, senator representing Kwara south, as deputy chief whip.
Akpabio then said, “By consensus, the senate leader is senator Opeyemi Bamidele, he will be the majority leader of the senate. Senator Ali Ndume will be the chief whip of the 10th senate. Senator David Umahi will act as deputy leader and senator Lola Ashiru will be the deputy chief whip,” he said.

The senate president then announced the minority leadership, with Simon Mwadkwon, senator representing Plateau north, as minority leader. He said, “The minority caucus of the senate is made up of about seven political parties and have come up with their leadership so I will proceed to announce. Senator Simon Mwadkwon, minority leader; Oyewumi Olalere, deputy minority leader; senator Darlington Nwokocha, minority whip; and senator Rufai Anga, deputy minority whip.”

However, on Tuesday, the national assembly’s sergeant-at-arms forbade media from covering the senate’s plenary session.
With no explanation given, a sergeant-at-arms blocked the entrance to the gallery, where members of the public and media watch events. Also, a Twitter feed for real-time information from the upper parliamentary chamber, a monitor in the press centre, and internet streaming services were also down.

After a two-week vacation following the inauguration of the 10th session in June, the upper parliamentary body is now back in session.
The senate is preparing to accept a request from President Bola Tinubu to screen and ratify his cabinet nominations in addition to electing its primary officials. The 10th national assembly was inaugurated on June 13 after presiding officers of both chambers were elected.

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

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