Meet 6 Key Actors In NASS Drama

The ruling party promised people-centric governance, but it has been hit by a gale of self-centered chaos. The nation witnessed a political tug of war between the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other interests within the party.

The recent implosion was as a result of two happenings: in the Senate, the emergence of Bukola Saraki as the Senate president with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Ike Ekweremandu returning as the deputy Senate president; and in the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara winning the Speakership in a fierce fight with the party’s choice Femi Gbajabiamila.

So who are the key actors in this drama?

1. APC Leadership

Per the party’s official statements, the ruling party needed its key actors in the saddle of the parliament to ensure that executive bills scale through without unnecessary back-and-forth in the Senate or the House of Representatives. Even with these explanations, the dominant narrative is that the APC was only seeking to play out the script of Tinubu.

2. Bukola Saraki

Bukola Saraki has been cast as over-ambitious, alluding to his supposed desire to become the president himself. The growing gulf in the Senate and the perception of him as a Brutus figure betraying party’s supremacy is the biggest hurdle he needs to cross.

3. Yakubu Dogara

Dogara’s triumph has been consistently compared to that of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s when he emerged against his then-party’s wishes at all cost. As such his ascension is seen as an affront by some and by others as the triumph of the parliament over a meddlesome party. For the new Speaker, a re-aligning of forces with the likes of Kano state representative and prominent politician Abdumuminu Jibrin, who may have been a candidate for the Speaker himself, if not for zoning restrictions. This calls to question what role the party should be when electing the heads of parliament and principal officers.

4. Atiku Abubakar

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has become the ubiquitous candidate for president and, from all indications, will have a go at the number one post in the country once more in 2019. He has, for now, aligned interests with Saraki.

5. Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, a self acclaimed convert to multi-party politics, is indeed behaving like the archetypal convert, remaining taciturn in upholding the mantra of the separation of powers. So far he has issued the odd congratulations to Saraki, Dogara, and all the principal officers. At the moment he is being goaded from all the angles to intervene, but he remains aloof to the situation, bidding his time and keeping the lawmakers guessing his next move.

6. What About Us, Nigerians?

The majority of us asked for change across all tiers of government, but so far, at the national assembly, it has been a state of chaos. Many Nigerians were not amused by the free-for-all-fight that occurred in the Lower Chamber. The visual of Saheed Akinade Fijabi with the shirt torn off his back was not one we thought we will be faced with this early.

In the staring contest of the APC and the leadership of the National Assembly, we still have to wait and see who will blink first.

Alkasim Abdulkadir is a freelance international journalist. He can be contacted on his twitter @alkayy