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.
By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – Some senators who belong to the minority caucus in the 10th Assembly have accused the Presidency and the Senate leadership of plotting to destabilise the minority caucus of the Senate in order to impose a leader on them.
They, however, warned that it would be resisted.
The Senate has four Senate minority principal offices, which are being contested for by lawmakers elected on the platform of the PDP and Labour Party, which have the largest number of senators in the minority caucus.
It was gathered that the immediate past Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi State) who are both of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are most favoured Peoples for the position of Senate Minority Leader.
But the Presidency, aided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, have allegedly begun moves with former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, are pushing two Senators from Osun and Abia States for the position.
While the PDP has 36 senators, Labour Party has eight and the NNPP, YPP and SDP share the remaining six.
The opposition lawmakers said in a statement released on Saturday that it had come to their notice that there is 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 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) 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.¹
“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.”