From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Chaos rocked the Senate on Tuesday after Senate President Godswill Akpabio named Abba Moro, senator representing Benue South, as minority leader, and Osita Ngwu, senator representing Enugu West, as Minority Whip.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members replaced Simon Mwadkwon, senator representing Plateau North; and Darlington Nwokocha, senator representing Abia Central; respectively who were both sacked by the Appeal Court.
Recall that Mwadkwon, former minority leader, is a PDP member while Nwokocha of the Labour Party (LP) was the Minority Whip.
Immediately Akpabio read the new appointments to the hearing of the Senators said to have emanated from the list of the minority caucus alongside their respective signatures , an altercation ensued on the floor of parliament.
In a daring display of disagreement, Labour Party’s Okey Ezea representing Enugu North challenged Akpabio’s announcement. Leading the protest the visibly angry Senator disagreed that there is no way the Labour Party with seven Senators will be left without a leadership seat at Minority Leadership.
Ezea, while calling for a withdrawal of the announcement, complained that the Minority caucus only agreed to appoint only Abba Moro as the Minority Leader. He argued that since the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) already held two positions and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) with one out of the four minority Leadership seats it would be unfair to accord the PDP with the remaining Leadership position (Minority Whip).
Ngwu’s tribesmen argued that it is abject marginalisation for the vacant position which was previously by a LP Senator to be replaced with a PDP Senator, Ezea queried “How can the three Minority Leadership seats be occupied by the PDP Senators, this is totally unfair.
Supporting the protest LP’s Tony Nwoye, senator representing Anambra North, said it was unfair for the senate president to choose leaders for them. In a furious protest Nwoye accused the Senate president Akpabio of influencing the Minority Leadership appointments.
“Are we your slaves? Why will the senate president be picking leaders for us?
“You have done your worst. You have pushed us to the wall. Meaning what? It is unfair. It is not about me, it is about the institution of the state,” Nwoye yelled at the presiding officer.
The issue subjected the Senate to a rowdy session for about 15 minutes as both the opposing and supporting Senators converged around the Senate President at the podium.
After some senators pacified Nwoye, Akpabio explained that the two minority leaders had shown the signatories of the senators who agreed with the decision. “Minority put your house in order first,” he said.
Akpabio explained that he had no option other than to make the announcement since the majority of the Minority Senators had appended their signatures. Akpabio however agreed that signatures of some Senators in the Minority caucus were missing from the list forwarded to him.
“The senate president can only work with what is before me. You have senator Abaribe and Aliero, their names are not here.”
Sympathising with the aggrieved Lawmakers revealed that according to the list given to him about 30 Senators out of 41 in the Minority had appended their signatures to the new leadership.
“That is the PDP for you, if it were to be the APC (All Progressives Congress) it would have been fair. In sympathy with the Labour Party. It will be unfair to ignore the majority of votes and not announcement it.
“My job here is to work on the basis of the truth. Your point of order is hereby sustained. Akpabio thereafter via reference in point of order from the Senate rule book ruled out further deliberations on the matter,” Akpabio explained.
The appointments come sequel to the removal of Senator Simon Mwadkwon from Plateau, who previously held the position of Minority Leader, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha of the Labour Party (LP) from Abia, who served as the Minority Whip by the Appeal Court.
The Court of Appeal’s decision led to the displacement of Senator Mwadkwon and Senator Nwokocha from their leadership positions within the Senate’s minority caucus.
With the new development three PDP and one Senator from the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP occupy the four minority Leadership seats while the Labour Party are left with none.
They are; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South); Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olarere Oyewumi (PDP, Osun West); Senate Minority Whip Osita Ngwu and Deputy Minority Whip, Rufai Hanga (PDP, Kano Central).