PDP may still be interested in Senate leadership

The opposition PDP may have officially stated that it is not interested in the Senate leadership, but not minding its minority status in the upper chamber, indications have emerged, suggesting that the party may take advantage of the division within the ruling APC, and its failure to agree on a consensus candidate to also present candidates for the position of Senate president, and deputy Senate president.

Sources said the PDP, which had earlier concluded that it could not lead the eighth Senate, was bent on capitalising on the division in the ruling party to take over the leadership of the Senate.

The party is waiting to see if the ruling APC will not be able to present a consensus candidate for the office of the Senate President.

Punch said it reliably gathered in Abuja on Friday that the PDP had designated some members to monitor the APC’s meetings with the incoming lawmakers on Saturday (today).

It was learnt that although the PDP had said that it would not intervene in the election of the National Assembly leadership, it might review its decision based on the outcome of the APC’s meetings with its lawmakers.

The party convened the meetings to enable the incoming lawmakers to choose consensus candidates for the senate presidency and speakership of the House of Representatives.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the meetings, which were initially scheduled for Thursday, were postponed to Saturday because of the valedictory session held in the Senate. The candidates contesting the senate presidency are Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara State, North-Central) and Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe State, North-East).

The Senate is made up of 109 senators comprising APC 60 and PDP 49 members. However, one of the APC senators-elect from Borno State, Ahmed Zannah, had died leaving the party with 59 members.

It was gathered that the national leadership of the PDP had encouraged its senators-elect to vote for a single candidate for the position of the senate president.

Any of the aspirants needs a simple majority vote to become the next President of the Senate.

The election is expected to come up on Tuesday.

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