Adams Oshiomhole, a Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, has faulted plans by the Senate to amend its rules on eligibility for the post of Senate President, saying the move is flawed and self-serving, news.ng reports.
Senator Oshiomhole, while addressing journalists after Thursday’s plenary, noted that the proposed changes would unjustly deny others the opportunity to compete for the nation’s third-highest political office — the Senate President.
Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), questioned the rationale behind the proposed amendment, noting that the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, became a principal officer in the Senate from his very first day in the National Assembly.
“The Senate President became minority leader on his first day in office. On his first day when they swore him in on his first term, when he got into the Senate, he became a principal officer, minority leader,” he said.
The federal lawmaker contended that the proposed condition requiring senators to complete a maximum of eight years before becoming eligible to contest for the office of Senate President would contradict the position of the incumbent leader, who is interested in returning.
He noted that the Senate President has not yet completed the mandatory eight years as a Senator.
“Even if you count the previous one plus the current one, it’s not yet up to eight years. So, if we pass the rules that you must do eight consecutive years before you can be Senate President, it means he has to lead by example by vacating, because he’s presiding without acquiring the appropriate qualification,” Oshiomhole declared.
Speaking on alleged attempts by elected leaders to manipulate the rules to favour their self-interests, Oshiomhole recalled that former Senate President David Mark, among others, served without altering the established rules.
“David Mark had the honour and privilege of serving as Senate President for eight years, not by playing with the rules. Those rules that enabled David Mark to preside for eight years, what is wrong with them?” he queried.
The former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), while reaffirming his stance on the matter, said he would not allow himself to be intimidated.
“If other people are afraid, I’m not afraid. I am only afraid of my creator. Because I’ve seen whether you tell the lie, you tell the truth, the date of death, you can’t adjust it either forward or backwards,” Oshiomhole added.
