In 2015, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) made an unforced error which threw up a Bukola Saraki led leadership of the National Assembly that served more to truncate the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government that came with a vision of fixing Nigeria. The National Assembly ultimately became the Buhari government’s albatross culminating in the defection of Saraki and most of the NASS leadership to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The blunders included the decision of the party to unilaterally to foist Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as candidates for Senate Presidency and Speaker, House of Representatives positions, respectively. This was without first achieving a broad-based buy-in from its men in the NASS. Next was fixing a meeting with President Buhari on a day the NASS members were to elect their leaders. The meeting held but at the expense of a renegade leadership in the NASS. Then, the party and the Federal Government declared war on Saraki but oblivious of the support of the Judiciary. Eventually, the Supreme Court absolved Saraki of all charges preferred against him after billions of public funds were allegedly doled out by the embattled Senate President.

With what transpired at the Presidential Villa on Sunday night it appears the APC and the Federal Government was back down the same road that produced Saraki to their detriment. Reports have it that President Buhari and Adams Oshiomhole, APC’s National Chairman, endorsed the duo of Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives, respectively. Signs that that decision was fraught with challenges emerged on Monday when Ali Ndume distanced himself from the decision. Several other lawmakers followed suit and even calling out Oshiomhole.

As at now, lobbying of strategic senators and House of Representatives members have started in earnest with Buhari set to meet with Idris Wase on Friday, ostensibly, to persuade him to concede to Gbajabiamila. Other leaders of the party were also on the road to convince lawmakers under their influence to toe the party’s line and ensure the party’s candidates were voted into office. Whether, these efforts will yield the desired results or not will remain to be seen between now and June but close watchers of the unfolding drama are skeptical of any positive outcome yet.

Apparently, a National Assembly leadership that is on the same frequency with the Presidency will provide the needed legal framework the Federal Government can always leverage to drive its governance and developmental vision but otherwise, as was evident during Saraki’s leadership, the people’s parliament can become anti-people and retrogressive to national development. This is the motivation behind APC’s drive to get a benign leadership in place but how it goes about it could undercut the purpose and ultimately send the government packing.

Already, a cursory assessment of the outcome of the 2019 elections indicate a massive influx of neophytes into the Red and Green Chambers. This poses an immediate challenge as these individuals are hardly knowledgeable of the workings of the legislature. Some were already being lobbied to reject the APC’s choice with the mantra of legislative autonomy. The leadership of the APC may have to do more and go deep to influence the narrative if they are to achieve the aim of having a NASS leadership they desire. In contention for the Senate President position are Senators Ahmed Lawan, Yobe North, Ali Ndume, Borno South, Danjuma Goje, Gombe Central, and Orji Uzor Kalu, Abia North Central, while Ovie Omo-Agege, Delta Central, Oluremi Tinubu, Lagos Central, and Teslim Folarin, Oyo Central, are vying for Deputy Senate President. For the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Surulere 1, leads the pack challenged by Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the 8^th Assembly, among others. With the endorsement of Lawan and Gbajabiamila by the APC, the battleline is drawn and Nigerians await with bated breathe on how the process of getting them into office plays out.