Emmanuel Aziken
14 November 2008
column
Since Mama Bakassi, that is Senator Florence Ita-Giwa helped to organize the first Senate retreat in Calabar sometime in 2002, Senate retreats have helped to expose the frailties of members of the nation's most exclusive club of 109.
After Calabar, the next two retreats were held in Port-Harcourt in 2004 and 2007. Being port cities noted for wild living it was not unexpected that some of the distinguished Senators would become susceptible to the temptations of the area.
In Port-Harcourt last year several Senators ably resisted the enticements of the officially designated ushers whose real duties were, however, suspected to be for some other seamy closed door sessions.
Despite the reported debauchery of the few that fell, the 2007 Port-Harcourt retreat was acclaimed for its robust intellectual content. The devotion of the Senate President, Senator David Mark and some members of the leadership to the programme was indeed exemplary.
The just concluded Kano retreat was the first Senate retreat outside the coastal region. However, expectations of more decent side attractions in Kano were quickly dashed with the importation of the type of Port-Harcourt ushers.
Just as they did in Port-Harcourt, the "official ushers" in Kano quickly put Senate protocol officials and other National Assembly staff out of duty. As was the case in Port-Harcourt last year, many of the National Assembly staff watched sometimes with ill-feeling as the ushers carried out their duties!
The Kano ushers unlike their brazenly outrageous Port-Harcourt cohorts were quite modest in dressing, wrapping white veils to give the pretence of virtue expected of Northern maidens. However, their apparent unease with the veils easily exposed them!
The four-day retreat had the theme, The Legislature and Sustainable Development in Nigeria. Just as the Senators focused on the problems of the Niger Delta in Port-Harcourt last year, the Kano retreat focused on the problem of desertification as it affects the northern parts of the country.
The theme and focus were indeed apt considering the agricultural and industrial legacies of the old north that are now partially challenged by desertification.
The retreat was officially opened by President Yar'Adua who was represented by Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Unlike Obasanjo who had a taste for sharing "good times" with Senators at such occasions, Yar'Adua has so far absented himself from the two Senate retreats held so far under his watch.
Senate retreats also offer opportunities for reminiscence for former members of the club. This year, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim led the pack of former members of the Senate that included Ita-Giwa, Azuta Mbata, Jonathan Zwingina and Ibipuye Martins-Yellowe who lectured the serving Senators.
Conspicuously absent was Senator Ken Nnamani the immediate past president of the Senate who has yet to appear in any event organized by the David Mark Senate.
It is said that feelings still run deep on both sides that Nnamani was opposed to the emergence of David Mark as his successor.
Attendance at the retreat was quite impressive though some came and left while a handful were conspicuously absent.
The judicial affirmation of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as governor of Edo State excited the retreating Senators on the opening day with many including some PDP Senators hailing the court decision. Senator Smart Adeyemi gaining reputation as the maverick described the verdict as a manifestation of the evils of the immediate past PDP national executive led by Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd.).
Senator Odion Ugbesia (PDP, Edo Central) for most of the judgment was hooked up on phone as the judgment was relayed to him on phone possibly by an aide seated in the court room in Benin. Once the judgment was concluded, Ugbesia brimming with joy alongside his equally joyous colleague, Yisa Braimoh (PDP, Edo North) departed the retreat venue obviously to rendezvous with the leader, Chief Tony Anenih on the next strategy to reclaim the political platform in Edo State.
On Thursday the Senators spread out in three batches to assess other sections of the Northwest of the country. A group led by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Kanti Bello went west to Sokoto, another group led by the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu shifted south to Kaduna and the third group led by the Senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin eased east to Jigawa.
* The mood of the retreating Senators was seriously marred on Thursday morning with the news of the death of Senator Emmanuel Okpede, the Political Adviser to the Senate President. Okpede a member of the immediate past Senate was an easy going but politically adept member of the inner circle around Mark. He was indeed a soft spoken man who in his time in the Senate carried no airs about his privileged status.
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