NASS principal officers: We followed due process — Senate minority caucus

The Senate minority caucus has defended the procedure it adopted for the emergence of principal officers of the opposition parties.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio had on Tuesday named the minority leaders without the input of the PDP, the major opposition party in the Red Chamber. 

He named Senator Simon Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau) as Senate Minority Leader and Senator Oyewunmi Olalere (PDP, Osun) as deputy.

Other minority principal officers announced are Darlington Nwokeocha (LP, Abia) as (Minority Whip) and Rufai Hanga (NNPP, Kano), as Deputy Minority Whip.

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Akpabio said the announcement was in line with agreements by the minority caucus.

He said out of the 50 senators elected on the platform of the six minority parties, 38 of them, by virtue of their clear signatures, took a decision as to who their leaders will be. 

But some PDP chieftains criticised the process without the input of the party’s leadership. 

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the opposition caucus held behind closed door on Wednesday, the Senate Minority Leader, Simon Devou Nwadkwon, said the process that threw up the minority leaders was in line with the Senate rule. 

Nwadkwon said Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) empowers the Senate to make rules to regulate its procedures.

He said the process of appointing principal officers is clearly explained in the Senate rule book. 

The lawmaker said, “Premised on the constitutional mandate, and by the authority of the Nigerian Senate, the Senate Standing Orders 2022 (As amended) issued as the rule book to guide the conduct of legislative businesses including the appointment of principal officers by the Senate.

“Consequently, The Senate Standing Orders (2022) in Chapter Six (6), pages 21 to 22, Senate Rules Nos 27, 28, 29, and 30 provided for the minority leadership positions including the Minority Leader, Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Leader, and Deputy Minority Whip “Who shall be senators, nominated from the minority parties in the Senate.

“Accordingly, the President of the Senate received the proposal, announced it, and publicly gavelled the Minority Leadership nominees into confirmation in line with the Senate Standing Orders. 

“The fact is that whenever issues of political leadership are raised, you cannot discountenance the emergence of contentious voices, especially in a situation involving 6 political parties. This is expected because that in itself is the beauty and natural character of democracy whereby we disagree without being disagreeable.