Opposing senators and representatives-elect from the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, and other parties are anticipated to meet with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja between 3pm and 5pm.
Sunday PUNCH got the President's invitation to the lawmakers-elect on Saturday from the Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijani Umar, on behalf of the President's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The senators-elect will meet with Tinubu at 3pm, while opposing House of Representatives members-elect will meet with the President at 5pm at the same venue.

Though the notice of invitation did not specify the subject matter, it was assumed that the 10th National Assembly leadership would be debated.

The June 2, 2023 invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly read, “I write to inform you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will hold a meeting with members of opposing Senators-elect and opposing House of Representatives members-elect in the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, 5th June, 2023 at 1500 hours and 1700 hours respectively.

“Please inform all concerned members to attend and submit their list early for security clearance. Please accept the President’s greatest regard.”
The APC's zoning of the 10th Assembly leadership was controversial.

On May 8, 2023, the APC National Working Committee announced the zoning formulation for the 10th National Assembly's leadership, choosing Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom/South-South) as Senate President, Jibrin Barau (Kano/North-West) as Deputy President, Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna/North-West) as Speaker, and Benjamin Kalu (Abia/South-East) as Deputy Speaker.

Yet, several Senate and House leadership contenders have vowed to challenge the APC's chosen candidates.

The APC candidates and the G-7, a group of aspirants dissatisfied with the ruling party's leadership zoning strategy, are counting on the votes of newly elected members, who outnumber the opposing parties' returning members and members-elect, who outnumber the ruling party.

However, the PDP, LP, and NNPP have warned MPs elected on their platforms from bowing to the administration over the 10th National Assembly leadership contest.

The opposition claimed that while attending President Tinubu's meeting was fine, its representatives must avoid presidential meddling in legislative concerns.

On Tinubu's invitation, NNPP spokesman Agbo Major said that the opposing lawmakers-elect ought to run without executive intervention.

In the national interest, Major said lawmakers must always ensure that the three branches of government follow the principle of separation of power.

However, if the President called its members-elect to a meeting, the NNPP would not interfere.

He noted that the NNPP might be less friendly to President Tinubu if the meeting was about the 10th National Assembly leadership.

“In any case, if the meeting is related to the National Assembly leadership, the party will take a different position as we believe in the autonomy of the legislative arm of government, which should operate without intrusion from the executive arm in accordance with separation of power.

“As party loyalists, our elected members will return to brief the party after which suitable decisions would be taken in the interest of the suffering masses,” he continued.

PDP spokesman Debo Ologunagba said the party will prioritize national interest over politics and that it had not received a request for a meeting with its member-elect.

"The PDP does not take orders from another party," he stated. The 10th Assembly leadership will serve Nigeria, not another political party.

“Our National Assembly members-elect know this well and from the withdrawal we had on Saturday, they know where the PDP stands on the matter. We are too big to support another party against Nigerians. "No, we're too big," Ologunagba remarked.

Julius Abure, LP National Chairman, said, "Clearly, the executive cannot force any candidate on the leadership of the National Assembly. Legislators choose leaders. They should answer whoever calls.

“Their ability to return and do right is key. Adults who represent their constituents realize their career is at danger. His business is destroying his career. Four years is not forever, so people-riders must be careful.

“What they do after being sworn in will dictate if they return. Thus, it is in their common interest to do the right thing and ennoble a country-serving leader.

Also Read: Abure Resumes, Says No Factions In LP

“It is not the meeting but what they do on June 13 when they will elect the House leadership.”

Sunday PUNCH claims that existing House Standing Orders impede open voting, causing concern among freshly elected representatives.

In separate conversations with one of our correspondents, several members-elect, notably freshmen, voiced concerns about open voting.

Voters who choose candidates outside their party and political godfathers may face difficulty.

During the two-week induction event, some members-elect questioned the lack of presiding officer voting alternatives.

The current Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, who led the 2019 Standing Orders review panel, presented evidence that lawmakers passed the amendments in July 2019 to disprove a report of a back-door amendment.

Ihonvbere, an APC member from Edo State, was Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the Standing Orders of the House of Reps, ex-Chairman of the Legislative Agenda, and ex-Chairman of its Revision.

In a statement released on May 9, 2023, by the Secretariat of the "Joint Task – 10th NASS," a coalition of APC and opposition party members-elect, Ihonvbere recalled how the House unanimously considered and adopted his panel's Standing Orders amendment report on July 25, 2019.

Page 32 of the House Gazette of Votes and Proceedings Official Records from July 25, 2019, shows how the rules were changed to require members to "openly declare" their speakership and deputy speakership votes.

A senior National Assembly official claimed that leadership elections in the chambers would be based on the Senate and House polling sequence and the House's open voting limitation.

The Clerk of the National Assembly commences the inauguration ceremony and leadership election with the Senate before the House.

"Another reason they are in trouble is that the party that wins the Senate never loses in the House," the official said. Party Senate candidate Akpabio appears to be a lock.

“Once the Clerk declares Akpabio Senate President, there is no way the House will turn and the party candidate will lose.”

The person noted that both houses may hold simultaneous inaugurations and elections.

“Now check the House Rules—the Deputy CNA can carry out the election and the elections can happen concurrently. Same amendment exercise in 2019. "It's not like before where the CNA starts with the Senate and the House waits," the official said.

Bamidele Salam, a Peoples Democratic Party member who supports Abbas and Kalu, said opposition members with party leadership have nothing to fear.

Salam, a ranking member, leads the pro-Abbas Minority Parties Forum, a coalition of minority party members-elect that split from the 10th Assembly – Greater Majority.

He remarked, “We are leaders of the country and there is nothing to hide in one’s choice. Even while voting on motions and bills, you convey your position. Why not announce your position when electing National Assembly leaders? No problem.”

Salam remarked, “When they get into the House, they can change it. A democracy. They can amend House Rules after being inaugurated. That's the rule today. It can be altered after the inauguration if anyone is unhappy.

Sunday PUNCH has learned that members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives are directly reaching out to Speaker hopefuls for juicy jobs and appointments.

Several members-elect, especially those in minority parties, are losing interest in group negotiations with speakership aspirants and have started private conversations.

Several intra- and inter-party pressure groups have formed in the House ahead of the June 13 inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, when Senate and House presiding officials will be selected or elected.

With the APC zoning formulation for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and its agreement candidates, a group of discontented speakership aspirants, including the incumbent Deputy Speaker Ahmed Wase, Yusuf Gagdi, Aliyu Betara, Sada Soli, Chinedu Ogah, Miriam Onuoha, and Sani Jaji, has emerged.

The 10th Assembly – Greater Majority, a coalition of minority party members-elect, has been meeting with speakership candidates, while a splinter opposition organization, Minority Parties Forum, joined with the Joint Task – 10th Assembly and endorsed the APC candidates earlier in the week.

APC and opposing members-elect support Abbas and Kalu in the Joint Task – 10th Assembly.

Campaign leaders told Sunday PUNCH that members-elect now prefer seeing aspirants "one on one" for better bargaining and commitment.

One faction leader remarked, “The Greater Majority has been decimated. Most leaders are now meeting aspirants individually to ask for what they want. Group pushing to ask aspirants for committees has failed.

Most of Greater Majority's 11-person committee are ranking members. So, the freshers are scared that if their candidate wins and allocates committees to them, those ranking members will shortchange them, whereas the first-timers have more numbers than the returning members.”

The 10th Assembly: Greater Majority appointed an 11-person committee to nominate, screen, and recommend speaker and deputy speaker candidates within a week.

Nicholas Mutu (PDP) chaired the committee, Victor Ogene (LP) was secretary, and Abdulmumini Jibrin (NNPP) was deputy chairman. Oluwole Oke, Jonathan Gbefwi, Beni Lar, Ali Isa, Alhassan Rurum, Mathew Kuzalio, Salisu Majigiri, Nnabuife Chinwe, Gwacham Maureen, and Idris Salman.

At the coalition's fourth meeting in Abuja last Monday, Greater Majority Convener Fred Agbedi denied that coalition leaders had backed or made a pact with any speakership contestant.