APC Group Opposes Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President

APC Group Opposes Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The concerned caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the party was yet to zone the position of Deputy Senate President of the Ninth National Assembly to the South -south geo- political zone, and rejected the purported zoning of the position to any individual.

The group in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday and signed by Messrs Segun Bello, and Sunday Umutu, took exception to the position of Senator Ita Enang that Senator Ovie Omo- Agege, (APC Delta Central) has been endorsed for the position of deputy Senate president.

According to the APC leaders, Enang can neither speak for the party nor the presidency as he is no longer the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate) in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The party leaders said, “Section 151 of the 1999 Constitution states that the appointment of all special advisers shall cease when the President ceases to hold office, while Section 171 states that the appointment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and any office or the personal staff of the president shall cease when the president ceases to hold office.”

The statement states “our attention has been drawn to the statement of Senator Ita Enang in an interview on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

“In the interview, Senator Enang stated that Senator Lawan Ahmad will emerge as Senate president of the ninth Senate while Hon. Femi Gbajiabiamila will emerge as Speaker, House of Representatives. He went on to state that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege will emerge as deputy Senate president.

“Although, in the interview he was referred to as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, we write to state that he spoke in his personal capacity and expressed his own opinion and certainly not in any way the position of the presidency.

“It should be noted that his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters ceased with the end of the president’s first term on May 29, 2019 as provided in Section 151(3) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

“Therefore, his statement about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege should be seen wholly as figment of his imagination, because he has probably supported him.

“It must also be noted that All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated Senator Lawan and Hon. Gbajiabiamila for Senate president and speaker, respectively and not by any individual.

“Senator Enang cannot and could not have spoken for the party in the said interview.

“We wish to state that APC has not zoned the deputy Senate president to anyone. However, distinguished Senator Francis Alimikhena has been seen as the preferred candidate for the position”.

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