It is almost certain now that President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly, especially the Senate, are headed for a face-off over the refusal of the President to accent to the amended Electoral Act Bill.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have reintroduced the Bill, which the President turned down largely because of the the reordering of elections sequence.
In a letter to the National Assembly, President Buhari said the position of the lawmakers amounted to taking over the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In the impending face-off, senators have become divided, forming camps between Buhari and the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Indeed, Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso, Kabiru Marafa and Ahmad Sani Yerima are among the senators pushing for the Senate to override Buhari on the Electoral Amendment Act.
Marafa, who is from Zamfara State, was among the senators protecting the interest of Buhari in the Senate at the inception of the 8th National Assembly until he was appointed as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream Sector).
His decision, for instance, to join the pro-Saraki senators might be as result of the running battle between him and his State Governor, Abdul-Aziz Yari, and the disposition of the President towards him.
The Eagle Online observed that most of the senators in the pro-Saraki camp, who are members of the All Progressives Congress, are those that in battle with their various state governors.
They include Senators Isa Misau (Bauchi), Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi), Dino Melaye (Kogi), David Umar (Niger), Abdullahi Sabi (Niger), Shehu Sani (Kaduna) and Kwankwaso (Kano).
Other pro-Saraki senators also in APC are Abba Kyari(Borno), Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Baba-Kaka (Borno), Ibrahim Gobir, Aliyu Wammako.
Some of the Peoples Democratic Party senators supporting Buhari include Hope Uzodinma and Ogbuoji Sonni.
Prominent among pro-Buhari Senators are Abdullahi Adamu, Tayo Alasoadura, Ahmad Lawan, Remi Tinubu, Soji Akanbi, Ali Ndume, Abu Ibrahim, Babajide Omoworare, Lanre Tejuosho, Gbolahan Dada, Magnus Abe, Andrew Ochendu, Victor Umeh, Ovid Omo-Agege, Binta Masi-Garba, Jubril Barau, Kabiru Gaya and Abu Ibrahim.
Others are Senators Gbenga Ashafa, Yusuf Yusuf, Adeola Olamilekan, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Adamu Ailero, Joshua Dariye, Kurfi Umaru, Benjamin Uwajimogu, Mustapha Bukar, Ahmadu Abubakar, Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako, John Enoh, Sola Adeyeye, Yele Omogunwa and Ajayi Borofice.
The division at a glance:
| Pro-Saraki Senators: | Pro-Buhari Senators: |
| Ike Ekweremadu, Andy Uba, Stella Oduah, Samuel Anyanwu, Theodore Orji, Eyinnaya Abaribe, Mao Ohabunwa, Obinna Ogba, Sam Egwu, Matthew Urogbide, Philip Aduda, Emmanuel Bwacha, Shuaibu Lau, Ademola Adeleke, Mohammed Hassan, Buruji Kashamu, Atai Aidoko, David Umar, Shabba lafiagi, Dino Melaye, Ahmed Ogembe, Biodun Olujinmi, Godswill Akpabio, Albert Akpan, Duro Faseyi, Raji Rasaki, Joshua Lidani, Danjuma Goje, Abdullahi Sabi, Isa Misau, Suleiman Nazif, Peter Nwaoboshi, James Manager, Greshom Bassey, Suleiman Adokwe, David Mark, Ibrahim Gobir, Aliyu Wammako, Rafiu Ibrahim, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Kabir Garba Marafa, Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, Ahmed Rufai Sani, Ben Murray-Bruce, Emanuel Paulker, Ogola Foster, Rose Oko, Gilbert Nnaji, Utazi Chukwuka, Osinakachukwu Ideozu, Abubakar Kyari, Baba Kaka, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Bala Ibn Na’Allah. | Victor Umeh, Nelson Effiong, Gorge Akume, Mohammed Ndume, John Enoh, Ovie Omo-Agege, Ogbuoji Sonni, Benjamin Uwajimogu, Kabiru Gaya, Jubril Barau, Mustapha Bukar, Abu Ibrahim, Umaru Kurfi, Adamu Ailero, Remi Tinubu, Gbenga Ashafa, Adeola Olamilekan, Abdullahi Adamu, Yele Omogunwa, Donald Tayo Alasoadura, Ajayi Borofice, Sola Adeyeye, Babajide Omoworare, Soji Akanbi, Joshua Dariye, Magnus Abe, Andrew Uchendu, Ahmad Lawan, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Yusuf Yusuf, Mustapha Sani. |
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