• Vow to resist plans by outsiders to determine next Minority leadership
From Fred Itua, Abuja
Senators elected on the platforms of the various opposition political parties have rejected plans by some unnamed “desperate elements” to impose leaders on the Minority Caucus of the upper legislative chamber.
Saturday Sun, had yesterday, exclusively reported of plans by a former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and his loyalists to impose leaders on the Minority Caucus of the 10th Senate.
Saturday Sun had also reported of a meeting on Thursday evening between Wike and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, where the issue of the Minority leadership was extensively discussed.
Reacting to the report, senators drawn from the various minority political parties, vowed to resist any move by a few individuals to determine the leadership of the 10th National Assembly Minority Caucus.
A statement signed by Senators Mohammed Adamu Aliero, Henry Seriake Dickson, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Abdul Ningi, Patrick Abba Moro, Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi, Sumaila Kawu, and Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, urged the public to disregard the moves
The statement reads: “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.
“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, would 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.”