As the election of the 109 Senators of the 10th Senate draws to a close, people’s attention in the political space has gradually shifted towards the competition for the major positions in the Red Chamber, with the Senate presidency being the most important.
With lawmakers now vying for these critical positions, the race is expected to be extremely competitive and closely monitored by political critics and the general public.
The current leader of the 9th Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, will no longer be in charge on June 10, and the 10th Senate will be inaugurated on June 13, 2023. On the day of the inauguration, the new Senate President will be announced. This has sparked much excitement about who will become the 15th President of the Nigerian Senate.
The next President of the Senate will hold significant power, building on the foundation laid by Messrs Lawan. As the presiding officer of the Senate, the Senate President plays a crucial role in directing and managing the proceedings within the Senate. Additionally, the Senate President is third in line for the Nigerian presidency.
Per our mandate, POLITICS NIGERIA has taken a closer look at the individuals vying for this position and evaluated their qualifications. At present, there are 101 filled Senate positions, with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) holding 56 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holding 27 seats, the Labour Party (LP) holding 5 seats, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) holding 2 seats, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) holding 2 seats, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) holding 1 seat, and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) holding 1 seat.
When selecting their leader, the 10th Senate will refer to Section 50(1a and b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that “There shall be: (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.”
The Senate has specific rules when it comes to choosing the president of the Senate. According to these rules, only a ranking senator can be selected for this role. Additionally, the Senate has Standing Orders which dictate that the appointment of various Senate officers and members of parliamentary delegations must be done according to senator ranking.
The order of ranking is determined by factors such as the number of times a senator has been re-elected and whether they have served as a member of the House of Representatives.
In the current race for the presidency of the Senate, several strong contenders are vying for the position. The leading contenders are:
Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North)
The current Senate President, who has held the position since 2019, is seeking re-election to maintain his role in the Senate.
The APC politician represents the Yobe North Senatorial District and is a member of the All Progressives Congress. Ahmed Lawan has been involved in the politics of the National Assembly for quite some time, having spent a total of 23 years there.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North)
Orji Uzor Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate, had last month expressed his desire to run for the position of President of Nigeria’s 10th Senate.
He stated that his candidacy would be dependent on whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) zones the position to the South-east. The former governor of Abia also claimed that he is the most suitable senator for the position, based on the Senate rules and his impressive background.
“The Senate has rules. Let me be honest with you, if we practice true democracy, I should not be in contest with any body, because apart from the senate president, deputy senate president,the senate Leader, I am the next ranking member in the Senate going by the position I occupy today in the 9th Senate.
“It is virtually impossible that the Senate will elect or zone it to a new member of the Senate.
“The Senate is an established institution that needs somebody with an experience,some one with the skills and will be able to relate,” Mr Kalu had said.
Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North)
One of the contenders for the esteemed position of Senate President is the Senator who represents Kano Central Senatorial District. Along with other candidates like Mr. Kalu, Mr. Jibrin has also expressed his desire to run for the position in the 10th National Assembly, which was announced last month.
As the current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, the Senator from Kano has revealed that he intends to kick off his campaign soon and put his best foot forward in the race.
Mr. Jibrin has an extensive background in the National Assembly, having served since 1999 and in the Senate since 2015.
Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West)
Those familiar with Akpabio know that he always strives for the top no matter where he is. When he first joined the eighth Senate as a newcomer, he managed to displace a more experienced senator, James Manager, and become a principal officer. He held this position until he switched to the APC during Bukola Saraki’s time as Senate President.
Now, Akpabio is facing an even greater challenge as he competes against some major players to secure a highly sought-after position. As a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, he’s well-known for his statement that if money can’t get something done, more money can.
Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North)
It’s no surprise to many political observers that Oshiomhole, a former two-term governor of Edo State, former APC national chairman, and erstwhile National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has thrown his hat into the ring for the Senate President race. However, some are skeptical of his chances as a first-timer.
Despite this, there are those who are advocating for his candidacy and believe that anything is possible. They argue that since the rules for the position of Senate President don’t specify that only ranking senators can hold the position, Oshiomhole is more than qualified for the role.
Additionally, some of his supporters believe that President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu would prefer to work with Oshiomhole over the other current frontrunners due to their long-standing relationship and partnership.
David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South)
David Umahi is a newly-elected senator from the South East region of Nigeria, and he’s currently vying for the position of Senate President. He’s hopeful that the position will be zoned to the East and is banking on this possibility to bolster his chances.
Prior to his election to the Senate, Umahi was the outgoing governor of Ebonyi State and had defected to the APC in order to contest for the party’s presidential ticket. He had hoped that the ticket would be micro-zoned to the Southeast, but later withdrew his candidacy in favor of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Now, Umahi is trying his luck in the National Assembly with the sole purpose of vying for the Senate President seat.
Senator Abdul- Aziz Yari (APC, Zamfara West)
Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, is one of the hopefuls vying for the position of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly. In the previous assembly, Yari missed out on the opportunity to become a Senator due to a groundbreaking verdict by the Supreme Court. This decision led to the removal of all APC elected politicians in Zamfara State, including Yari, following a clash between his faction and that of Senator Kabiru Marafa. Presently, Yari and Marafa are both senators-elect.
However, Yari’s bid to become Senate President may not be straightforward, given that he is a first-time senator, and other senators with relevant experience are also in the running for the position.
