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New Page 12
How Senate chief whip, Oyofo, was
removed
SENATOR
Victor Kassim Isa Oyofo, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Edo State-born pioneer
Chief Whip of the second Senate of the Fourth Republic lost his position as a
principal officer of the Senate on Thursday, August 19, 2004.
Aside from the positions of Senate
President and Deputy Senate President which are listed in the 1999 constitution
with the procedure for removing persons occupying them, the remaining leadership
positions of the Senate are within the ambits of the zonal caucuses.
In other words, the positions of Senate
leader, deputy senate leader, chief whip and deputy chief whip are positions
alloted by the PDP controlled Senate to the various geo-political zones.
Thus, senators from the relevant zones
meet and elect persons for the positions and bring such names forward for the
ratification of the Senate in plenary.
However, the removal of Senator Oyofo from
office by 13 out of 18 senators of the South South Senate caucus took many
observers by surprise.
Hitherto, Oyofo had carried on in the
chamber as if all was well and given his evident show of self-confidence, many
had believed that his seat was safe. But when on Wednesday, August 18, some
South South senators began to make what some deft political moves. Their
restlessness in the chamber was not linked with the eventual removal from office
of Oyofo.
In fact, their group meetings outside the
chamber and lobby of the National Assembly was seen as one of those political
interactions to seek for common positions on issues at the plenary.
When they also held their caucus meeting
outside the Senate, it was generally seen as the usual caucus meeting of the
south south zone.
But suspicion and anxiety heightened when
on the floor of the Senate, Senator Oyofo criticised vehemently the "social
responsibility bill" sponsored by Senator Martyns Yellowe (PDP) Rivers, to
compel oil companies in the Niger Delta to provide more social amenities to the
people of the Niger Delta.
Querying the level of research done by
Yellowe, Oyofo told the Senate that it was in conflict with the NDDC Act 2000
and should therefore not be honoured for debate let alone passage.
Eventually, the bill was withdrawn and
Yellowe said he would re-present it after considering, the observations of
senators.
Evidently, senators from the South South
zone were offended that Oyofo, who doubled then as the senate majority whip and
leader of the South-South caucus could lead what some people saw as debate
against his people.
It was learnt that after the session, the
senators met and resolved that "Oyofo stands removed."
The intervention of Senator Felix Ibru,
the oldest of them all, reportedly fell on deaf ears. Senator David Brigidi told
the Senate that "Senator Ibru pleaded with us seven times at the meeting and we
said no".
But how grievous was Oyofo’s offence?
Oyofo himself told the Senate just before he was removed that nobody told him
what he did wrong.
Said he: "This is news to me. I was not
told what my offences are, it is not right and it is not just".
But the Senators were too angry and not
ready to enter into any argument with Oyofo.
Thus, Senators Rufus Spiff (Bayelsa),
Martyns Yellowe (Rivers) and David Brigidi (Bayelsa) reminded the Senate that it
was within the powers of the zonal caucus to remove Oyofo and so they asked the
Senate to either ratify or reject their resolution.
Then, the Senate President, Chief Adolphus
Wabara intervened, but failed to make the Senators change their position.
Earlier at the plenary, Senate leader,
Dalhatu Tafida announced that Senator John Azuta Mbata (Rivers) could not
present a report on the investigation on alleged missing privatisation proceeds
because "his mother is sick and he is trying hard to show that he is a good
child by taking care of her."
Thus, Tafida asked the Senate to "step
down the report for a later date" and his request was granted.
But barely thirty minutes after the
announcement by Tafida, Mbata walked into the chamber and the political equation
changed. He tactically avoided his seat and positioned himself near Senators
James Manager and Lee Meeba, all from the South South zone.
Mbata’s political dexterity and mastery of
the mood of the Senate has earned him several nick-names like "the big man with
the big brains", "chairman of chairmen" and "spin doctor".
So, when he entered the Senate chamber
after the announcement that he was in Rivers taking care of his mother, it
became clear that Oyofo would not survive the plot.
For Senator Yellowe, whose nickname is
"senator take it easy," the anger was vivid and the desire was simple, Oyofo
must go.
Indeed, Yellowe was not prepared to take
it easy that day as long as it had to do with Oyofo. Senate President, Wabara
had used his powers as presiding officer to tell the Senators to withdraw the
resolution and "treat it as a family matter," but they refused.
He then told them that he will not give a
ruling on the announcement because it is not in conformity with the rules of the
Senate" in a clear bid to save Oyofo, but Mbata was on hand to deal Oyofo the
last blow.
He quickly made for his seat and moved a
motion seeking the removal of Oyofo from office as the Chief whip and leader of
the South South caucus. Promptly, the Senator Brigidi seconded the motion and
told the Senate that they have "lost confidence in him (Oyofo)."
Wabara therefore put the question and in a
unanimous voice vote, the senators voted in agrement with the South south
senators and Oyofo was removed as Chief whip.
Justifying the removal of Oyofo, Senate
spokesman, Senator Tamar Wada said it was within the powers and competence of
the zonal caucus to remove their leaders and noted that the unanimity which
greeted the action, simply showed that it was "popular."
That it was popular was apparent, for
while the Senate President was trying to intervene, most of the senators were
anxiously waiting for voting time to endorse Senator Udo Udoma as the new Chief
whip and grant the request of the zonal caucus that "Oyofo stands removed."
According to Wada, the action was in
order, adding that the relationship between senators and the principal officers
is that "of first among equals." Wada’s deputy, Spiff hinted at possible
betrayal of group interest being the main reason for Oyofo’s removal.
Spiff said that Oyofo was removed because
"we wanted the South South to be move cohesive to fight for our interest and
those things that will benefit the zone. It is not as though he committed an
offence."
Despite the various explanations,
observers contend that the unanimous removal of Oyofo by the Senate, spear
headed by 13 senators from the South South zone is a warning signal to other
zonal leaders in the Senate.
In fact, a report of the ad-hoc committee
on the Port-Harcourt retreat, headed by Senator Usman Tsuari, has recommended
one year tenure for all zonal leaders in the Senate excluding the offices of the
Senate President and Deputy Senate President.
The report, which is yet to be adopted,
has recommended yearly review of the positions of the Senate leader, his deputy,
Chief whip, his deputy and others.
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