The crisis is subdued, but raging nonetheless.
Just as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is still agonising on how to
resolve the lingering animosity between its lawmakers on the sharing of
principal offices in the National Assembly, the minority Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) caucus has also caught the crisis bug over the same issue.
A few weeks ago, there were unconfirmed reports
that the national leadership of the PDP had allegedly settled for Godswill
Akpabio, a first term senator as the Minority Leader of the Senate.
This development was contrary to an earlier
decision that the Senator representing Delta South, James Manager, should head
the minority caucus of the Red Chamber.
Akpabio’s choice, it was gathered, has not gone
down well with many PDP senators, some of whom are questioning the rationale
behind the decision of picking a non-ranking lawmaker to head his more senior
colleagues.
Manager is not only a third term senator; he is
perhaps the next most ranking PDP senator after the immediate former Senate
President, David Mark, who is currently serving a record fifth term. Mark,
according to sources, had declined to take up the offer for “personal reasons”.
The position of the Minority Leader had been
zoned to the South-South and Manager, being the highest ranking senator from
the region was expected to fill the position.
But that was not to be, as Akpabio’s camp was
alleged to have kicked against two lawmakers from Delta State, Manager and Leo
Ogor as the Minority Leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly
respectively.
Unlike Ogor, who was unanimously chosen by his
colleagues to be their Leader, sources revealed that the PDP caucus in the
Senate is divided between Akpabio and Manager, who has allegedly vowed to
resist what he describe as an attempt by party leaders to impose Akpabio on the
rest of his colleagues.
With the National Assembly still on recess,
feelers indicate that the two senators are using the opportunity presented by
the break to lobby their colleagues for support.
This is happening against the backdrop of an
allegation that one of the two senators has allegedly voted several billions of
naira to finance the project of his election as the Minority Leader.
Prominent members of the PDP National Working
Committee (NWC) are being accused of receiving huge gratifications, which
allegedly influenced their shifting support from Manager to Akpabio.
The acting National Chairman of the party, Prince
Uche Secondus, is also caught in the eye of the storm, as he is being accused
of railroading other members of his committee to back Akpabio, who was elected
as senator following the expiration of his two terms as governor of Akwa Ibom
State.
The Nation however learnt that fresh moves have
commenced to resolve the imbroglio before the Senate resumes on July 21.
Expected to spearhead the peace mission is Mark and the acting Chairman of the
party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Haliru Mohammed.
But if indications within the top hierarchy of
the party are anything to go by and all things being equal, Akpabio may likely
get the nod as the new Minority Leader of the Senate.
Speaking on why the former governor is rated
above Manager, a source said: “Yes, Manager is a ranking senator, but he does
not boast Akpabio’s national image, who served as the first chairman of the PDP
Governors Forum (PDPGF). Most importantly, he has a deep pocket which he would
always put at the party’s disposal at this most challenging period.”
Is Akpabio waiting to be crowned or will Manager
pull a last minute surprise to emerge as the Minority Leader of the 8th Senate?
The answer to this poser would be provided when the Senate reconvenes later
this week.
Culled from The
Nations
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