By Olusegun Lawrence Members of the Senate elected on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tuesday threatened to boycott plenary session unless they are assured of automatic return tickets by the leadership of the party.
The members who are in the majority forced plenary to end under 30 minutes as they immediately went into closed door meeting over the issue that appears to be tearing the party apart.
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba had moved a motion suspending the business of the day immediately after the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary read the letter by President Jonathan for the nomination of Okwu Joseph Nnanna for confirmation as the Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
Prompt News alos gathered that the Senators have vowed to back the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, unless their request is granted.
The national chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, had last week announced that all PDP governors serving first term would have right of first refusal to run for second term.
However, he was silent on the lawmakers, both in the Senate and House who may want to return.
“We are going to show solidarity with the Speaker of House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal. We will not sit again.
“There will be no consideration of the MTEF (Medium Term Expenditure Framework) and there will be no budget.
“We decided to adjourn and do no business and the APC Senators are in solidarity with us. President Goodluck Jonathan has lost the Senate, he has left the PDP structures in the hands of the governors, let the governors also do our job. We are going to shut the government.
“Under this arrangement if left unchallenged, none of the senators would come back in 2015. We are planning to boycott legislative businesses until further notice,” one of the aggrieved Senators who pleaded anonymity said.
