The APC Intellectual Wing, a political advocacy group based in Ondo State, has alleged that some state governors are already positioning themselves to exert significant influence over the National Assembly in a manner that could undermine President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s authority during a potential second term in office.
In a statement signed by its leader, Akindele Boluwaji Johnson, the group claimed that certain governors are strategizing to ensure that lawmakers elected into the Senate and House of Representatives remain primarily loyal to them rather than to the President and the broader objectives of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the group, the alleged plan includes influencing the emergence of principal officers of the National Assembly, including the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The APC Intellectual Wing warned that such a development could result in a divided government, where the legislative arm operates independently of, or in opposition to, the policy direction of the President.
The group linked the alleged political maneuvering to growing discontent among some governors over the implementation of local government autonomy, arguing that certain state executives remain uncomfortable with reforms that have reduced their influence over local government administration.
It further claimed that some governors perceive a second-term presidency as politically vulnerable because the President would no longer be seeking re-election, potentially encouraging attempts to challenge or frustrate executive policies through a legislature dominated by their loyalists.
The group also expressed concern over what it described as the deployment of substantial financial resources to shape future political outcomes, warning that the National Assembly could become a platform for competing political interests rather than a partner in advancing the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The success of any administration depends significantly on the level of cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government,” the statement noted, urging President Tinubu to remain vigilant and ensure that party candidates seeking election into the National Assembly are committed to the ideals and policies of his administration.
The APC Intellectual Wing further argued that governors should refrain from imposing candidates for federal legislative positions. It maintained that while state Houses of Assembly traditionally work closely with governors, members of the National Assembly have a constitutional responsibility to collaborate with the President on national issues.
The group stressed that just as the President does not interfere in the internal affairs of state legislatures, governors should avoid excessive influence over the selection and emergence of federal lawmakers.
Calling for proactive action, the group urged President Tinubu to take steps to prevent any situation where the National Assembly could be used to frustrate his administration’s programmes and policies.
It concluded that preserving a productive relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government would be critical to Nigeria’s political stability, national unity and development in the years ahead.
The statement was signed by Akindele Boluwaji Johnson on behalf of the APC Intellectual Wing.
