Bamidele, Ndume Lock Horns Over Senate Leader Position

As the Nigerian Senate plans to resume its proceedings tomorrow, Senators Michael Opeyemi Bamidele of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are expected to become the majority and minority leaders respectively, according to the party leadership.

However, it is understood that Senators Ali Ndume (APC) and Adamu Aliero (PDP) are still interested in the majority and minority leadership positions.

After the Senate resumes, both the ruling and minority parties are anticipated to fill the eight principal positions currently vacant.

Though party nominations for these positions should, in principle, be a straightforward process, the scramble for these key roles has created some tension among senators.

The ruling APC party has yet to finalize its nominations for these posts, just as it recently endorsed Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau for the posts of the senate president and deputy.

The race for the majority leader’s seat is primarily between Senators Ndume and Bamidele, both key players in Akpabio’s campaign for the senate presidency.

Advocates for both contenders have fiercely defended their candidates, leading to further tensions.

It has been noted that attempts by lawmakers from the South West to secure the majority leader role could intensify divisions within the Senate.

Legislators from the North have already expressed feelings of marginalization, a sentiment that may be exacerbated by the contentious race for the majority leader position.

Despite the tensions, sources within the presidency and the APC that spoke with Daily Trust suggest that Bamidele, who hails from the same region as Akpabio, is likely to be favoured for the majority leader position.

As is tradition, the majority leader is often selected from the same region as the Senate president.

The source said, “In the 8th Senate when Bukola Saraki (Kwara) was the Senate president, Ali Ndume (Borno) served as majority leader and later Ahmad Lawan (Yobe). Also, in Lawan’s 9th Senate, the majority leader was picked from the North.”

However, the APC has not yet officially confirmed its nominees for these leadership roles.

Party stalwart Chief Jackson Lekan Ojo confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to play a key role in these decisions, much like he did in the recent selection of presiding officers.