NASS: Abaribe is Senate Minority Leader As Bwacha, Aduda Retain Portfolios

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Still licking its wounds following the failed attempt at upsetting the apple cart during Tuesday’s inauguration of the Ninth (9th) National Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South, as the new Senate Minority Leader.

The decision was taken at a joint meeting of PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) and senators elected on the Party’s platform

Also endorsed by the meeting is Emmanuel Bwacha, representing Taraba South Senatorial district. He retained his position as Deputy Minority leader, a position he held in the immediate past eighth (8th) Senate.

The only senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Philip Aduda (FCT), was also retained as the Senate Chief Whip, a post he held sway during the now defunct 8th Senate.

Rising from their meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the PDP stakeholders also endorsed Senator Clifford Ordia, representing Edo Central, as the new Deputy Minority Whip.

In the recently-dissolved eighth (8th) Senate, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, representing Bayelsa Central was on the saddle as Deputy Whip when the opposition PDP elevated Senator Biodun Olujimi of Ekiti State from Deputy Whip to Minority Leader following Senator Godswill Akpabio’s exit from the party to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2018.

According to sources that attended the meeting, the PDP’s leadership is expected to officially communicate the development to the National Assembly (NASS) through the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on Friday (today).

Similarly, the opposition Party’s NWC has scheduled a meeting on Friday (today) with its House of Representatives Caucus to nominate and endorse members for the existing minority positions in the Green legislative chamber.

The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, told journalists that the meeting, which lasted about three hours, was primarily meant to ensure a hitch-free selection process and harmony in the choice of personnel to man the key minority offices in the Senate.

The held at the National Chairman’s Abuja residence, had in attendance all members of the party’s NWC.

Except the inevitable happens, the emergence of Senator Abaribe as the Senate Minority Leader, has ultimately thrown him up to assume responsibility as Chairman of  PDP National Assembly Caucus going forward.