Hot Lobbying For Juicy Position As Senators Scramble For Committees

Members of the Senate have intensified lobbying for the chairmanship of committees following the announcement of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly.

Recall that the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti) had on Tuesday told journalist that the Red Chamber would constitute special and standing committees before the end of July.

He said: “The first task ahead of us is to constitute special committees of the 10th Senate. Our rules make provision for six special committees.

“This is so that every senator can get busy based on their own professional background and can properly fit into the sector where they can add value.”

Naija News reports that the most sought-after committees of the Senate include: Appropriation, Finance, Judiciary, Public Accounts, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Works and Niger Delta Development Commission.

Others are Power, Health, Tertiary Education and TETFUND, Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Gas, Defence (Army), Communications, Aviation and Independent National Electoral Commission.

According to Daily Trust, senators eyeing heads of various standing committees have intensified their lobby.

Sources revealed that senators were avoiding being confrontational with the leadership of the Senate.

Some have reportedly resorted to following the presiding officers wherever they go so as not to be forgotten.

It was not immediately clear if some names had been pencilled down, senators who worked for Akpabio during the campaign for the Senate presidency race have stepped up their push for heads of juicy committees.

According to the publication, Senator Adeola Olamilekan Solomon (APC, Ogun West) was said to be jostling for the chair of the appropriation committee.

Adeola, who chaired the finance committee in the 9th Senate, is always seen around Akpabio in and out of the National Assembly.

It was gathered that the selection of principal officers, especially the minority leaders was devoid of acrimony because aggrieved lawmakers decided not to protest in anticipation of being rewarded with chairmanship of juicy committees.

For instance, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) was among the arrowheads of Senator Abdulaziz Yari’s campaigners for the Senate presidency. He was also part of the opposition senators jostling for Senate minority leader.

Despite working against Akpabio during the campaign, the Senate President named him as chairman of an ad hoc committee.

It was also gathered that the selection of committee chairmanship would be based on lawmakers’ areas of specialisation and competence.

This, a lawmaker who preferred not to be named, said  as to ensure effective oversight of government agencies amid public criticism that MDAs are poorly scrutinized by the parliament.