Senate snubs Orji Kalu, Izunaso, picks Opeyemi Bamidele, Majority Leader, Umahi, Deputy
By Emma Ogbuehi
Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) has emerged Leader of the 10th Senate, putting paid to the aspirations of ranking senators, Orji Kalu (Abia North) and Osita Izunaso (Imo West), who had earlier schemed for the presidency of the chambers.
Former Ebonyi Governor Senator Dave Umahi is the Deputy Senate Leader. Senator Ali Ndume is the Chief Whip of the Senate while Senator Lola Ashiru will occupy the position of Deputy Chief Whip.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the appointment of these Principal Officers at plenary.
Kalu and Izunaso, had made obvious attempts for the presidency of the senate but were not even nominated at the election. Rather, Akpabio was elected, closely followed by Zamfara senator, Abdulaziz Yari. The thinking was that Kalu or Izunaso could be pacified with the senate majority leader position.
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In settling for Bamidele and Umahi, (APC) was said to have struck a peace deal to douse the tension unleashed by the scramble for majority principal offices in the National Assembly.
The party arrived at a template to accommodate the officers, after consultations with the various blocs of influence in its fold.
The party, it was gathered, concluded that all the aspirants for the principal offices are qualified, hence settling for an acceptable formular to most of the senators.
The source said the power-sharing formula in the Senate was therefore arrived as follows: Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central, Southwest, Senate Leader); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South, Southeast, Deputy Senate Leader); Ali Ndume (Borno South, Northeast, Chief Whip) and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South, Northcentral, Deputy Chief Whip).
The source added: “With this formula, the party expects a stable Senate.
“The party doesn’t need to foist leadership on the Senate, but at the same time, we cannot be watching our senators split over a manageable situation.
“Both Bamidele and Ndume in particular are highly experienced. They also contributed to the emergence of the President of the Senate, Sen. Akpabio. It, therefore, became necessary to design a template formula for peace in the upper chamber.”
Bamidele, Ekiti senator and one-time students union leader, is a long time ally of President Tinubu, who as a governor of Lagos state, appointed him as commissioner for information. Even when he rebelled against Tinubu and ran for the governorship of Ekiti against former governor Kayode Fayemi, he later found himself back into the Asiwaju camp. Umahi, former Ebonyi governor, is a first-time senator, who never hid his loyalty to Tinubu