Senate Minority Leader Tussle Deepens

As the Senate resumes on Tuesday, indications have emerged that senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other minority Parties may have resolved to elect former Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi) as the minority leader of the 10th Senate.

This is coming on the heels of pressure and entreaties from PDP senators and other critical stakeholders in the Party including State Governors to former Sokoto State Governor and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a first timer in the Senate, to withdraw from the race.

Ningi is said to be enjoying the support of majority of PDP Senators and those from other minority parties owing to his long-standing legislative experience in the Senate, a decision that is unconnected with the parliamentary tradition and Rule of Ranking in the Senate.

While Tambuwal is a first timer in the Senate, Ningi who ranks as one of the longest serving members of the National Assembly has held Principal Officer positions in both chambers, having served as Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate.

Critical stakeholders in the PDP are said to be reserved towards Tambuwal, who as Speaker of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the PDP, dumped the Party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014.

Tambuwal’s defection cost the PDP its control of the House of Representatives. The PDP eventually lost the 2015 Presidential and most governorship elections to the APC with Tambuwal emerging as Governor of Sokoto State on the platform of the APC.

On the other hand, most of the senators are aligned with Senator Ningi given his unbroken loyalty to the PDP and his averred all-inclusive disposition during his tenures as Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate and as Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

A Senator in the minority caucus who pleaded anonymity confirmed to journalists in Abuja yesterday that many of the senators are insisting that though Tambuwal was Speaker of the House of Representatives, he is a first timer in the Senate and should differ to Senator Ningi.

The Senator further asserted that Tambuwal is being spoken to by senators and other critical stakeholders to step down, while giving hints that the former Governor of Sokoto State may have acceded to the entreaties.

“Tambuwal is a seasoned legislator and a team player but on the issue of Minority Leader of the Senate, I can confirm that as we speak, most of the senators are aligned with Ningi. There are entreaties to Senator Tambuwal to step down for Ningi and I believe that he is seeing reasons he should do so” he said.

Another senator in the minority caucus also said the Caucus is fine-tuning its position and will speak with one voice ahead of Tuesday.

“We are ironing out all the issues and we will speak with one voice ahead of resumption of plenary on Tuesday” he stated.