APC tips Bamidele as Senate Leader, Ndume as Chief Whip

Barring any last-minute change, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has tactically resolved the crisis among senators over the principal officers of the Senate.

The Star learnt that the tussle between Senators Opeyemi Bamidele and Ali Mohammed Ndume over the Senate Majority Leadership has been resolved in favour of the Ekiti State Senator.

The leadership of the party favoured Bamidele as Senate Leader while Ndume is tipped for the Chief Whip.

Ndume was Senate Leader under Senate President Bukola Saraki before he was traded for the immediate past Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

Both Bamidele and Ndume were arrowheads of the Godswill Akpabio Senate Presidency. Ndume served as the Director General of the campaign council while Bamidele was the deputy.

Bamidele, a lawyer, is a godson of President Bola Tinubu. When Tinubu was Senator in the early 1990s, Bamidele was his Personal Assistant. Even when Tinubu was governor of Lagos, Bamidele held several positions as Special Assistant, Special Adviser and later commissioner.

While the party has doused the tension over the Senate Leader, it was further learnt that the party has worked out a full template.

In the arrangement, the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) has been tipped as Deputy Senate Leader.

Also, Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) is being considered as Deputy Chief Whip.

“We’re hopeful that the template is a win-win for all the blocs. With this arrangement, we are confident of a stable Senate,” a source told The Star.

The leadership of the APC is expected to communicate the decision to Senate President Akpabio this week.

The Star