Some opposition senators say they are indifferent to the emergence of the Principal Officers of the Minority Caucus of the Senate of the 10th National Assembly.
Sen. Simon Mwadkwon (PDP-Plateau) was named as the Senate Minority Leader, while Sen. Oyewumi Olalere (PDP-Osun) was named as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Also Sen. Darlington Nwokocha (LP-Abia) was named as the Minority Whip, while Sen. Rufai Hanga (NNPP-Kano) was named as the Deputy Minority Whip by the Senate leadership.
Sen. Garba Maidoki (PDP-Kebbi) questioned the criteria used in electing the leadership.
“I cannot imagine as a senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria of a minority party and a minority leader has emerged without even sending me a message that I am seeking for your vote or concurrence.
“What type of party are we having in PDP. We have 36 out of the 50 senators that are in the minority caucus and then we cannot even come together and agree who should lead us.
“I have nothing against those who emerged, if 36 senators out of 50 have signed as it is said and I believe they did , I just believed from an outsider not a politician. This is not a system that must be encouraged because if we must lead this country, we must be transparent to each other,” he said.
Maidoki, however, said that he was willing to work with the new leadership. “We are willing to work with them to make sure that the Senate succeeds,” he said.
Sen. Ahmed Wadada (SDP-Nasarawa) called on the minority caucus to ensure fair play in the legislative functions. “I was not interested in the principal offices neither will I be interested today. If I was offered, I wouldn’t have been interested.
“What I want is just fairness and balance. What should have been ideally done was to balance the leadership.
“But it’s okay, he (the minority leader) has the capacity and competence to hold the position. Of course, it was the decision of the majority of the lawmakers.
“If it wasn’t, trouble would have brewed on the floor but as you can see everything went smoothly. Everything went smoothly, that means that all the senators are ready.
“What is more important is what we do to provide succour where people are suffering and make life easier for them,” Wadada said.
Sen. Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) said that every senator can’t become a leader.
“It’s not everybody that will join the leadership of the Senate.
“People had interest one way or the other. There were speculations of those who would have emerged but what is good for me is that we should avoid crisis and controversies.
“We are ready to give and take and work together for the good of Nigerians. We are going to work with this leadership so that nobody will say tomorrow that there was altercation over anything that will endanger the unity of purpose of the 10th Senate. The leadership should work with everybody,” Umeh said.