The minority political parties in the Senate, on Saturday, raised the alarm about alleged ongoing plot to destabilise the parties and foist a compromised leadership on them.
In a statement jointly signed in Abuja by eight Senators, on behalf of the minority parties in the apex legislative Chamber, the parties also vowed to resist such scheme and ensure that they selected their leaders by themselves.
The minority Caucus said that it had earlier resolved and pledged to work constructively with the new Senate leadership and the Executive branch to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people, urging that the Caucus be allowed to select its leadership without any interference from any quarters whatsoever.
The Caucus frowned at the alleged ongoing scheme within and outside the Senate, to influence the emergence of the minority leadership, stressing that it would meet when the Senate resumes in July, to independently select its leadership.
The statement reads: “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.
“We have pledged to work constructively with the new Senate leadership and the Executive branch to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people.
“We consequently hereby advise and caution that they should not aid any group inside or outside the Senate to divide and destabilise the minority parties and the Senate institution.
“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.
“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.
“We call on all members of the Minority Political Parties to work together in unity to defend the democratic institution of the Senate and Nigeria.
Those who signed the statement are: Senator Mohammed Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa), Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto), Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi), Senator Patrick Abba Moro (PDP, Benue), Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (LP, Imo), Senator Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano) and Senator Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah (YPP, Anambra).
Recall that there were reports of a desperate move towards blocking the choices of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the minority leadership positions of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, held marathon meeting with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio in his office on Thursday.
At the end of the meeting, Wike, left the Senate wing of the National Assembly at about 6:30pm in the convoy of Godswill Akpabio, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau and other Senators like Salihu Mustapha (APC Kwara Central), Jibril Isah (APC Kogi East ) as well as the recently appointed Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel.
One of the sources at the meeting, who preferred to speak on the condition of anonymity, told our Correspondent that Wike’s plan with the leadership of the Senate was to have a minority leader not chosen by the PDP but by his (Wike’s) own faction within the Party.
According to the source, though the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives are being careful with the plan but they also believe that if Wike succeeds in factionalising the Caucuses of PDP at both Chambers, having unpopular minority leaders from their folds is possible.
