The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has disowned the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, over his comments on Ninth Assembly leadership.
Igbere TV recalls that, Senator Enang had claimed that the APC had zoned the Deputy Senate Presidency to the South-South, and endorsed the Senator representing Delta Central, Ovie Omo-Agege for the position.
Reacting, however, the ruling party under the auspices of ‘Concerned APC Caucus’, declared that the party had yet to zone the position of Deputy Senate President to the South-South geopolitical zone.
The declaration, Igbere TV gathered exclusively, came after an extensive meeting of the caucus on Wednesday, in Abuja.
The group in a statement sent to Igbere TV, condemned a statement credited to Senator Ita Enang, which claimed that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, from Delta State, had been endorsed by the party for the position of Deputy Senate President.
The group alleged that Enang could not speak for the party neither could he still be speaking for the Presidency because he is no longer the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Section 151 of the 1999 Constitution states that the appointment of all special advisers shall cease when the President ceases to hold office, while Section 171 states that the appointment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and any office or the personal staff of the President shall cease when the President ceases to hold office,” it said.
The statement was signed by Senators Segun Bello and Sunday Umutu.
Full Statement,
“Our attention has been drawn to the statement of Senator Ita Enang in an interview on Radio Nigeria on Wednesday, 5th June, 2019.
“In the interview, Senator Enang stated that Senator Ahmad Lawan will emerge as Senate President of the Ninth Senate while Femi Gbajabiamila will emerge as Speaker House of Representatives.
“He went on to state that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege will emerge as Deputy Senate President.
“Although, in the interview he was referred to as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, we write to state that he spoke in personal capacity and expressed his own opinion and certainly not in any way the position of the Presidency.
“It should be noted that his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters ceased with the end of the President’s first term on May 29, 2019 as provided in Section 151(3) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
“Therefore, his statement about Senator Ovie Omo-Agege should be seen wholly as figment of his imagination, because he has probably supported him.
“It must also be noted that the All Progressives Congress nominated Senator Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively and not by any individual.”
