By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
A group of opposition senators have accused the Presidency and the Senate leadership of plotting to destabilise the minority caucus of the upper legislative chamber, warning that it would be resisted.
The looming crisis, it was learnt, emanated from attempts to impose leaders in the minority cause of the Senate.
Immediate past governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi State) are among those favoured in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the position of Senate Minority Leader.
Not comfortable with the arrangement, the Presidency, aided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, have allegedly begun moves with former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to ensure the emergence of a more loyal lawmaker in the opposition for the position.
It was gathered that the Presidency and Wike’s camp are looking at the direction of two Senators from Osun and Abia States for the position.
There are four Senate minority principal offices, which are being contested for by lawmakers elected on the platform of the PDP and Labour Party, being the parties with the largest number of senators in the minority caucus.
Of the 50 senators in the caucus, PDP has 36 while LP has eight. The NNPP, YPP and SDP shared the remaining six.
A statement signed by eight senators and released to journalists yesterday in Abuja, said, “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 statement was signed by Senators Mohammed Adamu Aliero (PDP); Henry Seriake Dickson (PDP), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP), Abdul Ningi (PDP), Patrick Abba Moro (PDP), Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (LP), Sumaila Kawu (NNPP) and Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah (YPP).
It added: “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, 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.”
Source: The Guardian