Opposition senators have kicked against any attempt to impose compromised leadership on the minority caucus.
The four principal positions reserved for the opposition parties in the Senate are minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy whip.
The opposition senators declared this in joint statement, saying they will resist any move to impose “compromised leadership” on them by what they referred to at the forces within and outside the National Assembly.
The lawmakers’ statement said the minority caucus would consuld with their respective parties to wade off undue interference from anti-democratic forces.
They said no senator has yet been announced for any minority position, said the statement jointly signed by Mohammed Adamu Aliero, Henry Seriake Dickson, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Abdul Ningi, Patrick Abba Moro, Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi, Sumaila Kawu, and Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah.
It said, “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.”
Former governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, reportedly met Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday to negotiate the appointment of his political associates into minority leadership positions in the Red Chamber,
It was learnt that the meeting held at the National Assembly, lasted for several hours, while Wike left the parliament around 6.30pm refusing to speak with newsmen.
Wike reportedly successfully extracted nod from Akpabio to make Kingsley Chinda, as minority leader in the House of Representatives.
