"It has come to the notice of the Minority Political Parties in the Senate of an attempt by forces inside and outside the Senate to divide the minority parties and foist a pliant and compromised leadership on them."
Eight senators from opposition parties have raised the alarm over an alleged plan to impose a minority leader on members of the 10th Senate.
In a statement jointly signed on Saturday, the senators said some persons within and outside the Senate chamber are planning to cause a crisis among the minority parties in order to weaken their strength in the upper house.
The senators that signed the statement are Mohammed Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central); Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West) ; Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South) and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central).
Others are Abba Moro (PDP, Benue North); Ezenwa Onyewuchi (PDP, Imo East); Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South) and Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra South).
"It has come to the notice of the Minority Political Parties in the Senate of an attempt by forces inside and outside the Senate to divide the minority parties and foist a pliant and compromised leadership on them," the statement read.
The senators cautioned against causing crisis within the minority parties, stressing that they have all pledged to work and support the Godswill Akpabio-led senate leadership.
"We have pledged to work constructively with the new Senate leadership and the Executive branch to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people. We consequently hereby advise and caution that they should not aid any group inside or outside the Senate to divide and destabilise the minority parties and the Senate institution.
"Senators of the minority parties would meet when the Senate reconvenes and, in consultation with our respective political parties, would select its leaders without undue interference from anti-democratic forces within or outside the Senate," the statement added.
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The senators noted that the minority parties are yet to arrive at a consensus for the position of the minority leader of the 10th Senate.
"For the avoidance of doubt, no senator has yet been endorsed or selected for any minority position as this would await due process as agreed by all minority parties in their last meeting. Attempt to foist a one party dictatorship would be resisted and would fail.
"We call on all members of the minority political parties to work together in unity to defend the democratic institution of the Senate and Nigeria."
There are six opposition parties with 50 seats in the 10th Senate. They are PDP, LP, SDP, NNPP, APGA and YPP. The APC has 59 seats.
The alleged move to impose a pliable minority leader may not be unconnected with the need for the APC to push through its decisions and those of the Executive smoothly in the upper chamber.
