Principal Officers: Why we ignored our political parties – Minority Caucus

By Adekunle Adesuji

The Minority Caucus on Wednesday defended how the minority principal officers were emerged despite uproar by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Members of opposition in the Senate led by minority leader, Senator
Simon Nwadkwon explained how the members of opposition parties arrived at the selection of minority principal officers in the Senate .

It was learnt that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the major opposition party in the Senate. had, on Monday, said it would communicate to Senate President , God’swill Akpabio to stay action on filling the position of the Senate minority leadership, noting that consultation was still ongoing.

But, Senator Nwadkwon said that the Senate standing rules empowers the minority caucus to select their principal officers among themselves .

He said, “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.”

“The critical emphasis here is that the Officers must be (1) Serving Senators of the Federal of Nigeria, who are (2) Members of the Minorities Parties in the Senate and the word nominate in the Oxford language dictionary means to “Propose”. When a proposal is made, it is usually to an authority that has the confirming powers, in this case, the President of 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.

“It is also important to inform Nigerians at this point that, in line with relevant laws, practices, procedures and conventions, and traditions, the Principal Officers of a Legislative Assembly are not balloted. It is not competitive elections moderated by INEC or any other umpire, but a matter that is rooted in age- long and well-established legislative practices and procedures.

“Despite the fact 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.

“For us this democracy at its best and parliamentary politics at its finest wheel for democratic consolidation in Nigeria.”

It could be recalled that Akpabio announced Senator Mwadkwon, as the Minority Leader, Senator Olalere Oyewumi as Deputy Minority Leader; Senator Darlington Nwokocha as Minority Whip and Senator Rufai Hanga as Deputy Minority Whip.

The Senate Minority Caucus is made up of PDP with 36 senators; LP, 8; SDP, 2; NNPP, 2; YPP, 1; and APGA, 1.