Former Akwa Ibom state governor and senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West, Godswill Akpabio, has emerged Senate minority leader.
Senate President Bukola Saraki announced Akpabio as the Senate minority leader on Tuesday July 28, shortly after the Senate resumed from recess.
Akpabio had earlier been picked by the Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the Senate at meeting held yesterday to forge a common ground on the distribution of principal officers that was allotted to the main opposition party in the Senate.
According to Channels, Saraki also announced the name of others principal officers which was contained in a letter submitted by the PDP caucus in the Senate.
Deputy minority leader went to Senator Emmanuel Bwacha while Senator Philip Aduda becomes Minority Whip and Senator Bioudun Olujimi emerged Deputy Minority Whip.
When Senator Kabiru Marafa raised a point of order alerting the Senate that the nomination of Senator Akpabio violated the Senate rules on ranking.
He was promptly ruled out of order by the Senate president, after the deputy Senate president explained that the constitution allows every lawmaker, irrespective of ranking, to aspire for the seats of principal officers.
However, senators at the plenary passed a vote of confidence on the principal officers of the Senate and warned that the police and security agents should not to be used by any person to blackmail Senators and their spouses
Meanwhile, Akpabio emergence came as a surprised to many senators as the standing rules of the senate exempts first-term senators from holding principal position.
Senate President Bukola Saraki announced Akpabio as the Senate minority leader on Tuesday July 28, shortly after the Senate resumed from recess.
Akpabio had earlier been picked by the Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the Senate at meeting held yesterday to forge a common ground on the distribution of principal officers that was allotted to the main opposition party in the Senate.
According to Channels, Saraki also announced the name of others principal officers which was contained in a letter submitted by the PDP caucus in the Senate.
Deputy minority leader went to Senator Emmanuel Bwacha while Senator Philip Aduda becomes Minority Whip and Senator Bioudun Olujimi emerged Deputy Minority Whip.
When Senator Kabiru Marafa raised a point of order alerting the Senate that the nomination of Senator Akpabio violated the Senate rules on ranking.
He was promptly ruled out of order by the Senate president, after the deputy Senate president explained that the constitution allows every lawmaker, irrespective of ranking, to aspire for the seats of principal officers.
However, senators at the plenary passed a vote of confidence on the principal officers of the Senate and warned that the police and security agents should not to be used by any person to blackmail Senators and their spouses
Meanwhile, Akpabio emergence came as a surprised to many senators as the standing rules of the senate exempts first-term senators from holding principal position.
