The 8th (Senate) Assembly of Nigeria
Nigeria to inaugurate 9th Assembly on Tuesday, No Cabinet on sight yet
If the official schedule the Nigerian National Assembly remain unchanged, the legislators-elect at the upper legislative chamber (Senate) and the lower chamber (House of Representatives) will be inaugurated tomorrow, June 11th, 2019.
It is expected that the ruling party dominated chambers will elect its principal officers on Tuesday. The drama that caught up with the National Assembly four years ago where opposition elements upstaged the ruling party and secured leadership of the chambers is not likely to repeat itself in this Assembly, although there is a crack in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC)
Meanwhile, two weeks after the commencement of President Buhari’s new term, he is yet to announce nominations for his cabinet. Buhari’s nominations will go to the Senate for confirmation. In 2015, it took Buhari more than 6 months to form his cabinet, a move that put his first administration on a wrong footing.
Buhari last week dissolved his first-term cabinet, hinting that some of the former cabinet members would be reappointed. However, it is expected that he should have nominated individuals for the cabinet position in the first two weeks of his inauguration.
Top contenders for the position of Senate Presidency are Senators; Ahmed Lawan, who was the immediate past Leader of the 8th Senate and his predecessor, Ali Ndume. At the lower chamber, Femi Gbajabiamila is holding the ace.
Elected officers will preside over the affairs of the chambers for the next four years (if they are not removed from office)