By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Inalegwu Shaibu

THE President of the Senate is undoubtedly the most influential person among the 109 men and women members of Nigeria’s most influential and exclusive club. His ruling on any issue or his intervention in a debate inevitably shapes the course and outcome of any debate.

The tradition of voice voting on many issues gives the Senate President the privilege to rule on any issue according to his hearing. The Senate’s rules further give the presiding officer the exclusive preserve of interpretation of the rules. As such irrespective of what a Senator says on the rule or any matter, the ruling of the Senate President or his deputy or a President Pro Tempore who presides in the absence of the duo, stands.

As has happened in a number of cases, especially during the Anyim Senate, the majority of Senators could say yes, but the Senate President in his wisdom could rule nay. And his decision would stand. At the height of the crisis between the Anyim Senate and the Obasanjo regime as the Senate fast-tracked an amendment of the Independent Corrupt Practises and Offences Commission, ICPC, a Senator had observed the absence of a quorum to enable further sitting. The hefty Anyim, however, brusquely overruled the Senator as doing he did his own counting 1,2,3, 4,5, 6 — and 37, and like abracadabra he reached the number required for a quorum, even though only he, could see the invisible Senators.

But the powers of the Senate President are not absolute. Senators have the liberty to challenge the ruling of the presiding officer by calling for a division. But it comes at a heavy price as it would mean challenging the Senate President. A division involves a roll call of Senators on an issue.

The vote in 2007 on Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw’s bill, Investment for the Future Generation bill is perhaps the only known instance when Mark’s pronouncement was challenged and eventually overturned by the Senate. Senator Mark had ruled nay on the vote to progress the bill for second reading. But an aghast Senator Ewa-Henshaw who believed that the majority of Senators had voiced aye challenged him and called for a division.

In the division, the ayes had it. The bill despite its merits, however, stagnated perhaps in response to the challenge by Ewa-Henshaw. Ironically, the contents and character of the bill are reproduced in the Sovereign Wealth Fund bill pushed by the erstwhile Finance Minister, Segun Aganga and recently assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Besides his authority on the floor, the Senate President also wields his influence behind the scene as the Chief Executive whose signature is required in the approvals of financial and other applications made by Senators. Senators many of whom are rich in their own rights could for political pride forsake such privileges that may come through Mark.

The Senate President can also use his office to influence patronage and appointments. Perhaps the most important power of the Senate President outside the chambers is his position as chairman of the Senate Selection Committee. The selection committee appoints chairmen and members to the various committees of the Senate including for ad-hoc purposes.

He equally can strip offending Senators of their powers as he did to Senator Sylvester Anyanwu on the Senate floor in 2010.

As expected, Senator Mark despite his catch-phrase of referring to Senators as his bosses, is expected to continue wielding the powers. It is not surprising that many Senators have been falling over one another in the campaign to make him Senate President.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu
Senator Ekweremadu who is expected to be returned as deputy Senate President would continue to wield influence as Mark’s number two. Senator Mark has in the past delegated the politicking of the Senate to his trusted number two. A man gifted with immense political strategic thinking, it is not surprising that the alleged attempt by all three Abia Senators to contest the office with him was quickly dumped and they all came out with a an absolute endorsement of his candidature.

Senate Leader
The position of Senate Leader is yet to be decided and it is expected that the post would now be ceded to the North on religious grounds, given that both Mark and Ekweremadu baring the hand of God are expected to effortlessly sail through as Senate President and deputy. The post was originally zoned to the Southwest and it was on the basis of religion that Teslim Folarin was given the position as he was the most eligible Moslem from the Southwest.

Since the Southwest has no returning Senator it was initially suggested that the position would be ceded to the South-South, however, there are no Moslems from the South-South and the religious sentiment is now pushing the position to the North.

Ahmed Lawan, ANPP, Yobe North

Senator Ahmed Lawan progressed from the House of Representatives to the Senate under the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP in 2007. He was re-elected on the platform of the ANPP. Even though he is in the minority party, he has increasingly nurtured a close relationship with the Senate President and was one of the strategic drivers of the Mark campaign for Senate President.

Senator Remi Tinubu (ACN, Lagos Central)
While Mrs. Tinubu has come to the Senate in the shadow of her husband, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu; making her family the first in the country to have a couple as Senators.

She is now expected to wield influence as she emerges in her own right. Even though she has a humble disposition, the looming political image of the Asiwaju she carries would position her to wield influence among her colleagues in the Senate.

Senator George Akume
The re-emergence of Akume on the opposition side of the senate after his decampment from the PDP to the ACN has made some to tout him for the position of Senate Minority Leader. Given that he was able to mobilize as many as 37 votes during the contest with Mark in 2007, it is not surprising that he is among those being mentioned now. However, it is very doubtful that Mark as Senate President would brook the presence of Senator Akume as minority leader and then seat with him in the leadership!

During the Anyim Senate, it was alleged that those in the leadership collaborated to oust the then Minority Leader, Senator Usman Albashir. Mark may not have to go that way as the prospects of Akume becoming Minority Leader are scant. Nevertheless, Akume would remain influential as the unofficial opposition leader in the Senate and he would be a rallying point for other former Governors in the Senate including Senators Danjuma Goje, Bukola Saraki among others.