Umahi declares Interest In Senate Presidency, calls for setting aside Senate standing rules

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has declared his intention to contest for Senate presidency in the 10th National Assembly.

Umahi who is the APC senator elect for Ebonyi South disclosed this in Abakaliki while briefing newsmen 

He called on the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the All Progressive Congress (APC) to consider zoning the position to the southeast.

He further urged the party to zone the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the Northeast.

The governor noted that zoning the two positions to the aforementioned zones will be in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.

He further called on the 10th National Assembly to set aside the Senate standing rules for electing presiding officers

 

"Let me also plead and request the leadership of APC and the President and Vice President elect to please for the sake of equity, justice, and fairness zone the Senate Presidency to Southeast and the Speaker for the House of Representatives to the Northwest, this is for inclusiveness and this will assure Nigerians that we are on the part for a total reunion".

" I'm asking the Senate, National Assembly to set aside the rules so that we can get the best for the leadership of the national Assembly"

 "If the APC family zoned the Senate Presidency to the Southeast, Im indicating interest"

According to the tradition of the National Assembly, lawmakers serving two or more terms are elected Presiding officers.

Section 50(1a and b) of 1999 constitution as amended read: “There shall be: (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and (b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.”

Also in determining who becomes the Presiding officers, the Senate Rule allows only a ranking senator to be selected for this purpose and according  to the Standing Orders, “Nomination of Senators to serve as Presiding Officers and appointments of Principal Officers and other Officers of the Senate or on any Parliamentary delegations shall be In accordance with the ranking of Senators. In determining ranking, the following order shall apply- Senators returning based on number of times re- elected; Senators who had been members of the House of Representatives.”