The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fixed today, Monday, for a meeting with Senators elected on its platform ahead of the resumption of the National Assembly for full legislative duties.
OsunDailyNG reports that lawmakers have begun the jostle for principal offices in the 10th Senate as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the major opposition party, PDP are yet to arrive at a consensus on who would lead its caucus in the legislature.
Those reportedly vying for the Senate Minority Leader position in the PDP include – former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former Deputy Majority Leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi); former Kebbi State Governor, Adamu Aliero; and Agom Jarigbe (PDP, Cross River).
Amid the battle for the position, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), is set to meet with its members in the Red chamber today (Monday), in Abuja.
According to Guardian, the meeting, which is coming ahead of the July 4 resumption of plenary by the National Assembly, is geared at stalling alleged moves by APC-led Senate leadership to infiltrate the Minority Caucus, so as to impose a pliable leadership on it.
Multiple sources at the PDP National Secretariat, in Abuja, said the NWC has been holding talks with Senators elected on the platform of the party and those of other minority parties to ensure a very firm Minority leadership.
One of the sources, who is a top party official, said: “The meeting will provide the platform for senators to, among themselves, resolve issues of contestations and streamline distribution of positions among themselves, while taking the interest of other Minority Parties into consideration.
“The NWC has been doing a lot behind the scenes to ensure a firm Minority leadership in both chambers of the National Assembly. The NWC has been holding talks with our Senators and House of Representatives’ members. The Monday meeting is to smooth out some rough edges and resolve some few gray areas so that the party and our lawmakers can speak with one voice on the issue of Minority leadership in the National Assembly.”
“As you are aware, by the Rules of the Senate, the responsibility to choose the Minority leadership is exclusively on the Senators of the Minority Parties. The Rules does not confer the APC-led leadership any role to play in the election of Minority leadership.
“The Senate President, by the Rules, has no role to play except to read out the name sent to him by the Minority Caucus. He has no powers to read any other list except the ones sent in to him by the Minority Caucus. I believe that the Senate President is appropriately guided. He is an experienced politician and we expect him to be guided by the Rules. Anything short of that adherence to the Rules will be resisted by us,” another source said.
