Eight senators from opposition parties have expressed their concerns regarding an alleged plan to impose a minority leader upon members of the 10th Senate.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the senators suspect that certain individuals within and outside the Senate chamber are orchestrating a scheme to create a crisis among the minority parties. Such a strategy, they believe, aims to weaken the influence of these parties within the upper house of parliament.
The joint statement by the senators partly read, “It has come to the notice of the Minority Political Parties in the Senate of an attempt by forces inside and outside the Senate to divide the minority parties and foist a pliant and compromised leadership on them.”
The senators issued a cautionary plea to prevent the instigation of a crisis within the minority parties, emphasising their commitment to work harmoniously with the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate leadership.
They emphasised their determination to collaborate with the new Senate leadership and the Executive branch to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people. Consequently, they advised against assisting any group, whether inside or outside the Senate, in dividing and destabilising the minority parties and the Senate institution.
The statement added, “Senators of the minority parties would meet when the Senate reconvenes and, in consultation with our respective political parties, would select its leaders without undue interference from anti-democratic forces within or outside the Senate.”
Highlighting that the minority parties have not yet reached a consensus on the position of the minority leader of the 10th Senate, the senators firmly stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, no senator has yet been endorsed or selected for any minority position as this would await due process as agreed by all minority parties in their last meeting. Attempt to foist a one party dictatorship would be resisted and would fail.” They further called upon all members of the minority political parties to stand united in defending the democratic institution of the Senate and Nigeria as a whole.
The signatories include Mohammed Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central), Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South), Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), Abba Moro (PDP, Benue North), Ezenwa Onyewuchi (PDP, Imo East), Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South), and Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra South).
It is worth noting that the 10th Senate consists of six opposition parties, holding 50 seats. These parties include PDP, LP, SDP, NNPP, APGA, and YPP. Meanwhile, the APC, the ruling party, holds 59 seats. The alleged move to impose a minority leader is said to be driven by the APC’s desire to advance its decisions smoothly and those of the Executive within the upper chamber of the Senate.
