The Peoples Democratic Party Minority Caucus of the Nigerian Senate has nominated Sen. Shuaibu Isa Lau (Taraba North) as Deputy Minority Leader.
The post became vacant following the recent defection of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was subsequently received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House last week.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan read a letter from the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, announcing the choice of Senator Lau as the new Deputy Minority Leader of the upper chamber.
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha cited Order 42 to announce his defection from the opposition @OfficialPDPNig to the ruling @OfficialAPCNg, citing huge division and factionalization in the Taraba State Chapter of the opposition PDP.
He was thereafter officially recognised as a member of the APC amid congratulations from members of his new Party.
Lawan had directed the Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, to take Bwacha to his new seat on the section of the isle reserved for members of the ruling party.
Kalu promptly carried out the instruction even as members of the minority PDP kicked against the development.
Lawan further congratulated him;
“Let me congratulate you for taking the most deserving decision to flow along with your constituents who have seen the real thing on the ground.” –
“What you have related here is that you have seen the presence of infrastructure in your constituency and your people have identified with the infrastructure and they ask that you see the light and you have seen the light.”
With the development, the ruling @OfficialAPCNg has 70 Senators, the opposition @OfficialPDPNig has 38 Senators and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) has one Senator. This is the present composition of the Ninth Senate.
Senator George Sekibo cited a Constitutional Point of Order, Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution as amended to raise objection to the defection of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha from the opposition @OfficialPDPNig to the ruling @OfficialAPCNg
Senate President @DrAhmadLawan, in his response, cited Order 20(G) of the Senate Standing Order to rule against the Point of Order cited by Senator George Sekibo.
