PDP crisis forces Reps to cut short plenary

This came just 24 hours after members of the two factions came to blows Tuesday when the Abubakar Baraje-led ‘New PDP’ and seven governors visited the party caucus in the House.
The House had commenced its business of the day at about 11:30am with Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha presiding initially.
The first motion taken, titled ‘Need to check frequent clashes amongst various security agencies in the country’ was sponsored by Rep Kingsley Chinda (Old PDP, Rivers).
But when Chinda moved that he be allowed to read the motion, members of the ‘New PDP’ in the House kicked against it, saying “Nay” overwhelmingly, forcing Ihedioha to say “The nays have it!”, while Chinda stepped down the motion.
Another motion sponsored by Rep Abiodun Faleke (APC, Lagos) was however allowed to be read. It was during debate on the motion that Tambuwal stepped in and took over proceedings from Ihedioha.
After reading the mood of members, Tambuwal called on the House Leader Mulikat Akande-Adeola to move for the House to go into Executive Session, abandoning the rest of the items on the order paper.
A member of the ‘New PDP’ who asked not to be named told Daily Trust after the session, “We promised that we will never allow anybody from the Old PDP to move any motion in the House.”
He added, “In fact, during the session, the Speaker was the only person that spoke. He pleaded with us that we should all stop the crisis, but with what they did to our leaders yesterday (Tuesday), we won’t allow any of them to move any motion on the floor of the House successfully.
“They haven’t seen anything yet. We’re really ready for them, and there is nothing they can do since we’re now in the majority. We have our stand and we’re not ready to change that soon.”
On Bamanga Tukur’s planned visit to the House, the source said that they were waiting for the day Tukur would appear in the House “and see what will happen.”
“We’re waiting for him. I won’t say much on this, but let him come and see what will happen. You saw the kind of atmosphere they created when our leaders came yesterday. Let him come; we’re waiting for him,” the source said.
A faction had emerged within the party lately with seven influential governors in its fold as well as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. It is being led by Abubakar Baraje, a former acting national chairman.