PDP senators zone minority leader position to North Central

Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have resolved to canvass support for the North Central Zone for the position of Senate Minority Leader.

This followed the vacancy created by the sack of ex-Minority Leader, Senator Simon Mwadkwon, by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, and Minority Chief Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, by a Lagos Appeal Court.

The PDP Senators’ position was part of decisions taken after a crucial meeting held at the National Assembly complex, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The meeting was held in the office of the Senator Garba Musa Maidoki, (PDP, Kebbi South) had as its main agenda, the choice of a replacement for the principal offices.

In the case of the former Senate Minority Leader, the three-member appeal panel ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to, within 90 days, conduct a fresh election in the Plateau North Senatorial District.

A Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, had also sacked Nwokocha, (LP, Abia Central) and declared Augustine Akobundu, of the PDP, as the validly elected Senator in the 25 February election.

The PDP lawmakers equally agreed to convey their decision to colleagues in other opposition parties in order to get their buy in.

Senators who attended the meeting included: Senators Aminu Tambuwal, Abdul Ningi, Natasha Akpoti — Uduaghan, Abba Morro, Aminu Dankwabbo, Francis Fadahunsi Osita Ngwu, Ned Nwoko, Adamu Aliero, amongst others.

Speaking shortly after the closed door meeting, Senator Maidoki, who briefed Journalists said,” Everyone has agreed that the North Central should have that position for equity.

“Whether you are in PDP or APC, the Senate President is from the South South, the Deputy Senate President is from North West, the Senate Leader is from South West, the Chief Whip is from North East.

“So, the only zone where you do not have leadership position is North Central, after the ouster of the last Minority Leader.

“We have all agreed that the North Central should have it for equity. Even though the highest number of PDP senators are from North West, we are on the same page, we are unanimous, we have agreed those who want the same position we have persuaded.

“This was just driven by equity for every zone. In any case, it is only a position of trust, he has only one vote when it comes to voting, the Senate President has only one vote."

Senator Maidoki also dismissed speculations that the position would be micro-zoned to an individual saying, “We don’t want to make the same mistake we made the last time, we refused to take a position on time and some people took the decision for us.

“Hence we had to hold this emergency meeting when we realised that a vacuum exist in the minority leadership, and in the past weeks, nothing had been done, so we had to take move quickly.

“The Senate President was here this morning and we assured him that it was a PDP affair and we want to make sure we chose our leader who can contribute robustly to debates in the Senate.

“It’s not about change or overturning anyone, its about the leadership vacuum in the minority and we don’t want anyone to chose for us."