PDP panel meets lawmakers over election of NASS  presiding officers

 Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) panel investigating the role of lawmakers elected on the platform of the opposition party in the election of presiding officers of the National Assembly, met with the lawmakers, yesterday, at the PDP National Secretariat, in Abuja.

Speaking shortly before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Chairman of the panel, Adolphus Wabara, said  the parley was intended to interact with the lawmakers on why they voted against candidates backed by the PDP for the offices of Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives for the ninth assembly.

Prior to the inauguration of the ninth assembly last month,  the PDP National Secretary, Umaru Tsauri  had in a statement  announced the adoption of Ali Ndume and Umaru Bago as the opposition party’s choice for the position of president of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

Therefore, Tsauri directed the party’s senators-elect  and House of Representatives members-elect  to vote enmass for the duo.

Regardless, Ndume and Bago  lost  the election for office of the president of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, as the votes they scored   were far below the number of PDP lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly.

Amidst calls for sanctions against  the lawmakers, who voted against the party’s preferred candidates, the opposition party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), a fortnight ago, set up a panel to investigate what transpired in the election of presiding officers of the National Assembly.

Wabara noted that the panel will be thorough and reconciliatory  in its assignment in the interest of the opposition party and the country at large.

“This committee has invited you today to rub minds with you on the alleged disregard to party decision and discus the way forward. The position of the Committee is expected to be thorough, bold, courageous and reconciliatory. All concerned are expected, therefore, to bare their minds on the subject-matter without fear or favour.

“We all, without exception, have a solemn duty in midwifing a PDP that is not only reformed but also reform-minded which is upbeat in serving the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

“The implicit confidence Nigerians have in PDP should not be allowed to wane. We must collectively steer the ship of the Party on the path of responsible politics, responsible governance and responsible leadership,” he said.