Amidst rising tension over principal officers position in the Senate minority caucus, the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) National Working Committee ( NWC), barring any last minute change, is set to meet with its members in the Red chamber, Monday, in Abuja, so as to forge a common front.
Daily Sun gathered that the meeting,
which is coming ahead of the July 4 resumption of plenary by the National Assembly,is geared at stalling alleged moves by the the All Progressives Congress ( APC) led Senate leadership to infiltrate the Minority Caucus, so as to to impose a pliable leadership on it….CONTINUE READING
Recently there have been reports of alleged attempts by the Senate leadership to impose a leadership on the Senate minority caucus. However, the PDP senators had vowed to resist it.
Multiple sources, at the PDP National Secretariat, in Abuja, said the NWC has been holding talks with Senators elected on the platform of the PDP and those of other minorities Party to ensure a very firm Minority Leadership that meets the expectation of Nigerians.
One of sources, who is a top party official said ” the meeting will provide the platform for senators to, among themselves, resolve issues of contestations and streamline distribution of positions among themselves, while taking the interest of other Minority Parties into consideration.
“The NWC has being doing a lot behind the scene to ensure a firm Minority leadership in both chambers of the National Assembly. The NWC has been holding talks with our Senators and House of Representatives members. The Monday meeting is to smoothen out some rough edges and resolve some few gray areas so that the Party and our lawmakers can speak with one voice on the issue of Minority Leadership in the National Assembly”.
Another source accused the Senate leadership of alleged desperation to divide the minority caucus, so as to weaken opposition in the Red chamber.
“As you are aware, by the Rules of the Senate, the responsibility to choose the Minority leadership is exclusively on the Senators of the Minority Parties. The Rules does not confer the APC-led leadership any role to play in the election of Minority Leadership.
“The Senate President, by the Rules, has no role to play except to read out the name sent to him by the Minority Caucus. He has no powers to read any other list except the ones sent in to him by the Minority Caucus. I believe that the Senate President, in the person of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio is appropriately guided. He is an experienced politician and we expect him the be guided by Rules. Anything short that adherence to the Rules will be resisted by us….CONTINUE READING
