Senators on the platform of the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, had a crucial meeting on Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The agenda of the meeting held in the office of Senator representing Kebbi South, Garba Musa Maidoki, was to seek replacement for the principal positions of Senate Minority Leader and Minority Whip.
Nigerian Tribune checks revealed that the erstwhile Minority Whip, Senator Simon Mwadkwon, was removed last October by a pronouncement of the Court of Appeal.
A three-member appeal panel ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to, within 90 days, conduct a fresh election in the Plateau North Senatorial District.
In a similar vein, a Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, sacked Darlington Nwokocha, the Senate minority chief whip, representing Abia Central under the platform of the Labour Party, and subsequently declared Augustine Akobundu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the authentic winner of the February 25 election in the senatorial district.
At a closed-door session on Wednesday, the People’s Democratic Party lawmakers resolved to zone the office of Minority Leader to the North Central geopolitical zone.
The lawmakers who agreed to convey their position to other lawmakers in the other opposition parties in the Red Chamber are of the opinion that the region has been shut out of the power distribution in the country.
In attendance at the meeting were Senators Aminu Tambuwal, Abdul Ningi, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Abba Morro, Aminu Dankwabbo, Francis Fadahunsi Osita Ngwu, Ned Nwoko, and Adamu Aliero, amongst others.
Speaking with journalists after the closed-door meeting, Senator Maidoki explained why the PDP senators settled for North Central.
He said, “Everyone has agreed that the North Central should have that position for equity.
“Whether you are in PDP or APC, the Senate President is from the South, the Deputy Senate President is from the North West, the Senate Leader is from the South West, and the Chief Whip is from the North East.
So, the only zone where you do not have a leadership position is North Central, after the ouster of the last minority leader.
We have all agreed that North Central should have it for equity. Even though the highest number of PDP senators are from the North West, we are on the same page, we are unanimous, and we have agreed with those who want the same position we have persuaded.
This was just driven by equity in every zone. In any case, it is only a position of trust; he has only one vote when it comes to voting, and the Senate President has only one vote. ”
Senator Maidoki, who disclosed that there would be no micro-zoning for any individual, said the President of the Senate was aware of the meeting of the PDP lawmakers.
“We don’t want to make the same mistake we made the last time; we refused to take a position on time, and some people took the decision for us.
“Hence, we had to hold this emergency meeting when we realised that a vacuum existed in the minority leadership, and in the past few weeks, nothing had been done, so we had to move quickly.
“The Senate President was here this morning, and we assured him that it was a PDP affair, and we want to make sure we choose our leader who can contribute robustly to debates in the Senate.
“It’s not about change or overturning anyone; it’s about the leadership vacuum in the minority and we don’t want anyone to choose us. ”
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