The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the control of the G7 state governors visited the National Assembly Tuesday to meet with the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and principal officers of the Assembly. Chairman of the faction, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, who led the G7 governors to the meeting was assured by Mark that the leadership of the National Assembly will not declare any seats vacant courtesy of the crisis rocking the ruling party. “Even if you have a knife in my head, I will stand for justice, fairness and equity,” Mark told his visitors, urging the two warring factions to sheath their swords and unite for a strong PDP. The group of seven governors (G7) are Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger State), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto State). Meanwhile, a fight broke out at the House of Assembly this evening (local time) during the visit of the Baraje group as lawmakers loyal to the two warring factions in the party engaged in a shouting match and got physical with each other. UPDATE …108 members signed up for new faction …House affirms Tambuwal as Speaker The House of Representatives resumed from recess on Tuesday but began their plenary on a sour note as the visit of the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, with his National Working Committee and the G-7 governors led to rowdiness which is unknown to the House in recent times. Members of the ‘New PDP’ in the House however insisted that they were the authentic PDP members even as their number has grown to 108 out of the 208 PDP members in the lower chamber Feelers that all may not be well with the House began immediately after the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, had finished his welcome address and started to read correspondences. As soon as he finished reading a communication from the ‘new PDP’ signed by the secretary, Olagunsonye Oyinlola, informing members of the planned visit of Baraje, the NWC and the aggrieved governors to address the House PDP caucus, there was uneasiness on the floor. The letter created rowdiness with both the ‘old’ and ‘new’ PDP members shouting and shuffling round the chambers. The situation lasted for about 30 minutes as members continued irregular discussions and shunned pleadings from the speaker and attempts by the chief whip to call them to order. After about 30 minutes, there was calm and Tambuwal explained to his colleagues that the leadership of the House decided to welcome both Baraje and Tukur at their behest only for Tukur to withdraw his letter of request at the early hours of Tuesday. “I think I need to make two points clear. One, there was a communication from our leader, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur on the same issue; he wanted to come and address the PDP caucus. Now, Tukur withdrew his letter only this morning and I couldn’t have read his letter having withdrawn it. The whole thing is (that) we are not going to receive them on the floor. He (Baraje) will address us at 3.00pm in room 028 new building. Baraje eventually arrived room 028, at exactly 3.47pm where Speaker Tambuwal and the House leadership was already seated to receive the factional leader. He was accompanied by the seven aggrieved governors, members of his NWC and some senators. But shortly after the proceedings commenced, Hon. Henry Ofongo (old PDP, Bayelsa) alongside Hon. Patrick Asadu (old PDP, Enugu) and a handful of the pro-Tukur lawmakers came into the hall and started shouting ‘point of order’ ‘no way’, ‘Bamanga is our man’, na Bamanga we know’ causing noise and commotion. This angered the pro-Baraje lawmakers led by Hon. Aminu Suleiman and Hon. Asita Honourable who grabbed Ofongu and stopped him from proceeding to where Baraje, the governors and other members of his entourage were seated. The commotion that ensued lasted for almost 20 minutes as the pro-Tulur lawmakers made up of Bethel Amadi (Imo), Friday Itulah (Edo), Betty Apiafi (Rivers), Bitrus Kaze (Plateau), Samson Okwu (Benue), Tijanni Yusuf (Kogi) Kingsley Chinda (Rivers) and others continued disrupting proceedings at the meeting, shouting. However, House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, went ahead with her welcome remarks, praying that the visit would serve as the beginning of the resolution of the crisis in the party. Tambuwal in his speech said democracy can only flourish where there is a strong democratic culture. He said democracy belongs to all Nigerians and not the politicians alone as he advised that they should refrain from heating up the system. But the pro-Tukur lawmakers were undaunted as they continued shouting as Baraje addressed the gathering. Meanwhile, the national chairman of the ‘old PDP’, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, was forced to cancel his planned visit to the House following the experience of his opponents. Leader of the New PDP House caucus, Hon. Andrew Uchendu, told journalists after the event that the action of the pro-Tukur lawmakers was characteristic of the impunity and lawlessness associated with Tukur and his executives. He said they were the authentic PDP as their membership had risen to 108 thereby controlling the majority in the House. Earlier, the members had unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Tambuwal and his leadership dispelling rumours of an impeachment plot and reaffirming their unity. This followed a motion under matters of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Kingsley Chinda (old PDP, Rivers) and supported by Hon. Uzor Azubuike (old PDP, Abia).
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 21:25:55 +0000
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