Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ebonyi State, Uchenna Orji, has stated that the place of ranking in the Senate doesn’t prevent Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State from being elected as President of the Senate
Orji opined that in electing a Senate President, emphasis should be on nation building, capability and character to lead the Senate to achieve the aspirations of the Nigerian people and not on ranking.
He further urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and elected Senators to put sentiments aside and support Umahi.
He said: “Put sentiments apart and give him (Umahi) a chance as Senate President, you will agree and appreciate that Umahi is a ranking leader in capacity, experience, passion for service delivery and he is a rare leadership gem in Africa.”
X-raying the potentiality of the senator-elect for Ebonyi South zone, the Ebonyi Commissioner for Information added that “Umahi as Governor has excellent cooperation and working relationship with the legislative arm of government.
“This accounted for his support for a successor (incumbent Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru) in office that is from the background of the legislature – speaker for eight years and legislator for 12 years.
“Umahi has in-depth knowledge of the workings of the legislature as well as intergovernmental relations and as Deputy Governor, he stooped to conquer and was cracking the hardest kernel of his boss in fervent humility and profound loyalty.
“As state party chairman, he built the biggest party office ever built by any democratic government in Africa. As Governor, he made Ebonyi State a reference point in innovative development in Nigeria.”
Mr Orji said that much has been said about ranking in the Senate as if it is a condition precedent for being a Senate President.
“This sentiment has shrunk the thought of legal minds and suppressed the preeminence and considerations of the rule of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on who qualifies to be elected as Senate President of Nigeria’s Senate.
“Under the constitution, the eligibility for being a Senate President is clear. By Section 50 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) every member of the Senate who has taken oath of membership is eligible to be voted for as Senate President.
“Ranking is not given any iota of preeminence. The Senate members are known to be distinguished representatives of the people who must emphasise the virtue of mental and moral character (not ranking) as a yardstick for who is to be elected President of the Senate.
“Order 3 of the Senate, Senate Standing Orders 2015 as Amended has three categories of people that can be elected as President of the Senate of Nigeria.
“A first timer is clearly empowered by Order 3 to contest for Senate Presidency alongside ranking members and those who came from the Federal House of Representatives,” he said.
