Unlike the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to arrive at a consensus on who among its leading candidates – former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former Deputy Majority Leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi); and Agom Jarigbe (PDP, Cross River) – it favours to become the Minority Leader in the Senate.
Amid rising tension over principal officers position in the Senate minority caucus, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), barring any last minute change, is set to meet with its members in the Red chamber today (Monday), in Abuja, to forge a common front.
It was gathered yesterday that 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.
In recent days, immediately after the emergence of APC’s choice, Godswill Akpabio as Senate President, there have been reports of alleged attempts by the Senate leadership to impose a leadership on the Senate minority caucus, with the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, playing a lead role to effect the plan. However, the PDP senators had vowed to resist 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 that meets the expectation of Nigerians.
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.”
Another source accused the Senate leadership of alleged desperation to divide the Minority caucus, so as to weaken opposition in the Red chamber.
“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.”
MEANWHILE, Generation Next Collective (GNC), a coalition of youth and women groups, with interest in development strategies and democratic accountability, has said ploy by “external forces” to hijack the minority leadership position of the Senate endangers the integrity of legislative independence and principle of checks and balances.
GNC made the submission in a joint statement by co-conveners, Ruth Edehemon and Malam Rufai Abdulahi, in Abuja, yesterday.
It noted that a legislature without a vibrant, experienced, knowledgeable and independent-minded opposition would remain a liability to the nation and people.
According to GNC, this explains its concern about coordinated attacks on the character and person of Senator Tambuwal, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and immediate past governor of Sokoto, who, it said, ticks the objective leadership box, given his legislative and administrative leadership experience, capacity and capabilities.
It added: “Such an individual imbued with this unique personality of calming candour, should be projected by all well-meaning party men and women, rather than dragged in the mud of internal party politics and rivalry. The ruling party and external forces sweating to stop Tambuwal should stop fretting about his emergence, but rather prepare to give Nigerians the kind of responsible leadership they deserve.”
Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow’s scheduled resumption, indications have emerged that PDP senators and other minority parties may have resolved to elect former Deputy Majority Leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) as Minority Leader of the 10th Senate.
This came on the heels of pressure and entreaties from PDP senators and other stakeholders in the party, including state governors, urging Tambuwal to withdraw from the contest.
Ningi is said to be enjoying the support of many PDP senators and others from minority parties, given his longstanding legislative experience in the Senate.
While Tambuwal is a first timer in the Senate, Ningi, who ranks as one of the longest serving members in the National Assembly, has held the position of Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate.
A senator in the minority caucus, who pleaded anonymity, told journalists in Abuja, yesterday: “Tambuwal is a seasoned legislator and a team player. But on the issue of Minority Leader of the Senate, I can confirm that, as we speak, most of the senators are aligned with Ningi. There are entreaties to Senator Tambuwal to step down for Ningi and I believe he is seeing reasons he should do so.”
Another senator in the minority caucus told reporters: “We are ironing out all the issues and we will speak with one voice, ahead of resumption of plenary on Tuesday (tomorrow).”
