A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe has said that politics in the country is not meant for the poor, noting that the rich completely dominates the political space in the country.
Ogunlewe made this assertion on Arise TV programme – The Morning Show on Wednesday.
He was reacting to the politics surrounding the race for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
The PUNCH had reported that the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress had on May 8, 2023, released the zoning formula for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, picking Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom/South-South) President of the Senate; Jibrin Barau (Kano/North-West) for Deputy President of the Senate; Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna/North-West) for Speaker; and Benjamin Kalu (Abia/South-East) for Deputy Speaker.
Several aspirants for leadership positions in the Senate and the House have, however, kicked against the APC leadership zoning plan, vowing to go ahead and contest against the party’s chosen candidates.
However, Ogunlewe believed only a rich man can aspire to become the President of the Senate.
“As I said how many years ago, Nigeria politics is not for the poor. No matter how much you describe it, it’s for the rich. If you don’t have enough funds, just don’t come into politics; you will never get through. And that is the truth. So a poor man can’t say, I am a senator or a poor person can’t say, I want to be the President of the Senate.
“How does it work out? You must be able to stand very solid to be able to play politics in Nigeria; very very solid.
“There’s nobody who is going to be a Senator today who will be a poor person. They are not poor,” Ogunlewe said.
