An intense uproar gripped the Senate on Tuesday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the appointment of minority leaders, sparking controversy and discontent among lawmakers.
The vacancies for the positions of Senate Minority Leader and Minority Whip arose after the Court of Appeal ousted the former occupants, Senator Simon Davou Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau North) and Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia Central), respectively.
The court nullified Mwadkwon’s election, ordering a rerun, while Nwokocha was replaced by Augustine Akobundu of the PDP, declared as the legitimate winner of the February 25 election in the senatorial district.
Last week, PDP senators convened an emergency meeting to decide on replacements for these crucial positions. Senator Garba Maidoki (PDP, Bauchi) announced that the opposition lawmakers had chosen the North Central geopolitical zone to produce the Minority Leader.
During Tuesday’s plenary, Akpabio declared Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South) as the minority leader and Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West) as the minority whip, asserting that they had the majority support from their opposition colleagues. He disclosed that 41 minority senators endorsed Moro, while 30 supported Ngwu for the minority whip seat.
However, the announcement triggered objections, especially from the Labour Party (LP). Senator Okechukwu Ezea (LP, Enugu North) protested the exclusion of his party in the minority leadership, condemning it as unjust and unfair.
The Senate descended into chaos, with LP lawmakers rejecting their party’s absence in the minority leadership. Senator Tony Nwoyi (LP, Anambra North) confronted Akpabio, accusing him of arbitrarily selecting minority leaders for the opposition parties.
Akpabio defended his actions, stating that he merely announced names forwarded to him by the opposition caucus, respecting the majority voice. He urged the opposition to ensure internal cohesion before submitting names for consideration.
Efforts by Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi) to delay the announcement of the minority whip seat were unsuccessful. Akpabio ruled him out of order, citing Senate Standing Rule 52(6), which prohibits senators from speaking on resolved issues.
In the aftermath of a tumultuous 15-minute session, Akpabio stood firm, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the majority opinion in selecting leaders.
The clash highlighted the challenges in the opposition’s internal dynamics and the broader implications for minority representation in the Senate.