The recent emergence of Senator Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS), CON, as the President of the 8th Senate and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara (HYD) as the Speaker of the House of Representatives has continued to draw both positive and negative commentaries. While believers in the true tenets of democracy - defined as the government of the people, by and for the people - have hailed the epoch-making exercise in both the green and red chambers of the National Assembly (NASS), those who lost out of the political chess game and their ardent backers have understandably continued to cry foul.

In the first group are those who believe that democracy can only thrive if the people are allowed to freely choose their representatives and leaders. Their argument is simple. Since democracy is a game of numbers, the majority should have its way without any manner of arm-twisting. They are also quick to point out that President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) emerged from a free, fair and credible process where Nigerians were allowed to exercise their civic and democratic franchise. PMB was declared winner having scored the highest number of lawful votes in the last presidential election. Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan accepted defeat and congratulated PMB despite the wishes of majority of PDP leaders who still rue the move. This group had found a short-lived expression in 'Orubebecities' which was eventually 'Jegalised' when the final presidential votes were being collated at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

So, those who believe that it is time to move on after the election of Presiding Officers in both the Upper and Lower chambers of NASS argue that since the majority of Senators and House of Representatives members voted and chose who to lead them, they should mend fences with their opponents and begin their no less arduous legislative business. The election was not only constitutional, those elected emerged out of popular choice. However, the second group who sees nothing good in merit and competence would rather opt for and support what some analysts have termed "imposition." They will hear nothing of general acceptability because they appear blinded by narrow, parochial and undemocratic interests. As far as they are concerned, candidates supported by them and not the party should have emerged presiding officers. Yet they fail to realise that the composition of the Senate at this time does not confer absolute majority on the APC, and that to achieve its goals and objectives in the 8th NASS, the new opposition party - the PDP cannot be wished away. Today, we have a Senate with 59 APC and 49 PDP lawmakers. The APC tally would increase to 60 if the bye-election to fill the vacancy created by late Senator Ahmed Zannah returns an APC candidate elected. For now the reality is that the PDP despite being in opposition would continue to have their say and sometimes, possibly, their way in the NASS.

The election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President (DSP) has been roundly criticised and rightly so. But as dynamic players in a sophisticated political environment, what is needful is to be willing to mitigate the harmful effects of unexpected events and to learn to live with some of its attendant consequences while it lasts.

As one of the leaders of the APC, I feel pained that PDP has elected to reap from where it did not sow. Ekweremadu apparently took advantage of a normal political disagreement within the ranks of the APC that heralded the June 9 inauguration of NASS. Having been beaten blue and black in the last election, the ideal thing for the PDP would have been to content itself with playing its new role as a minority opposition party in the Senate and by extension the NASS. Unfortunately, the PDP through Ekweremadu decided to sow tares among the APC's wheat. Should we follow the wise saying in the Holy Writ that enjoined the farmer who suffered the growth of unholy tares in his vineyard to allow the "wheat and the tares to grow together until the time of harvest? Or do we perform a surgical operation to remove the tares in which case the treasured wheat will not be spared either? This is the crux of the matter.

The present situation is also akin to the fabled tsetse-fly that perched precariously on a man's scrotum. How do you kill the tsetse-fly without inflicting incalculable damage to that sac of life and its contents? This is why any attempt to find a solution to the present problem must be handled with tact and care. The SP is APC. The DSP is PDP. However, both of them are now intertwined. To untwine Ekweremadu from Saraki at this point may result in unintended consequences which may lead to the decimation of the historic and tremendous electoral gains recorded by the APC across the country during the last elections. I think like an expired tissue, the PDP as a minority party would soon find its occupation of the DSP's seat as untenable and decide to quit of its own accord. Again, who says Ekweremadu cannot elect to cross the fluid portals - being one of the characteristics of the political parties in Nigeria - into the APC?

Just like one of the leaders of the APC appropriately observed, the emergence of Ekweremadu as the DSP seemed to have breathed life into the dazed body of the PDP. They are suddenly awake and gloating too. Be that as it may, the setback the party may have suffered in the Senate with the emergence of Ekweremadu is but temporary. It should not be allowed to set the party back in terms of beneficial deliverables to the masses. Nigerians who voted for the APC in the last election would not take bickering over the emergence of Ekweremadu as an excuse should the anomaly be allowed to polarise and paralyse the party.

As far as I am concerned, the game has been won and lost and a "constitutional process has somewhat occurred" according to PMB. All we need to do is to review the unsavoury situation, identify where the party missed it, correct it and move forward. The job awaiting us is enormous.

It is on record that Saraki is one of the most influential politicians in Nigeria today. Having undergone requisite political tutelage from his late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki, he has comported with élan in all his assignments. As a trained medical doctor and technocrat, his foray into politics which began with his appointment as a Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on budget has opened the vista for him to showcase his uniqueness and man truly living the Nigerian dream. His two-term stint as governor in Kwara state, chairman, Northern States Governors' Forum (NSGF) and Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) were full of real-impact and still attract accolades. He has shown himself as a goal getter and a man every youth will like to model his life after. For instance, as Chairman of the NGF, ABS led his colleagues to initiate the Doctrine of Necessity in collaboration with the National Assembly which paved the way for then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to assume power as acting president.

In addition, as Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology and a member of the Senate Committees on Capital Markets and Finance, his motion exposed the fraud in the fuel subsidy regime and brought to the limelight the excessive waste of the country's resources. Above all, his eight-year tenure as governor stabilised Kwara State which is today counted among the most peaceful states in the country.

Having served as Chief Executive in Kwara and now a federal legislator, I think he is in a better stead to lead the 8th National Assembly on a development driven collaboration with the Executive Arm of Government without necessarily compromising the independence of the legislature.

Dogara on his part has beaten a smooth path that would help him succeed in his new role as Speaker. As a member of the House since 2007, he has served in many crucial committees. His wide experience will readily come handy now that he is Speaker. I don’t think he needs fresh tutelage on how to manage the affairs of a dynamic Chamber having been one of the movers and shakers of the House since 2007. His intellectual orientation, humble mien and wide acceptability by his colleagues will no doubt propel him to lead the House on the path of change and desired national rebirth. I think they are both good to go.

I hear the Senate Unity Forum that backed Senator Ahmad Lawan for the post of SP has presented six demands for consideration. I believe the leadership would look at them and make compromises where necessary so as to bring all on board. The challenge we now face is temporary and we shall overcome it. Let's not forget that the emergence of Saraki and Dogara is victory for democracy.