Senate Presidency, Reps’ Speakership: Opposition parties will use their majority number to advantage, says PDP

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

Ahead of the next Tuesday’s inauguration of the 10th National Assembly and election of the principal officers for the Senate and House of Representatives, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has revealed that its leadership is working together with its members-elect and opposition parties in the two chambers in determining who gets what.
The PDP made it clear that the opposition parties have the majority members in the National Assembly “which we are ready to deploy maximally”.
In the Senate, which comprises a total of 109 Senators, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has 59 elected Senators, while the PDP and other opposition parties have 50 Senators.
In the House of Representatives, which consists of 360 members, the PDP and other opposition parties have 182 elected members, while APC has 177 members. A PDP elected member of the lower arm of the National Assembly from Taraba State died shortly after election and the seat is yet to be filled.
The PDP specifically pointed out that the opposition parties, put together, form a strong majority in the National Assembly “and we are very mindful of that”.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Debo Ologunagba made the disclosure at a press conference yesterday in Abuja.
The leading opposition party in the country equally claimed that the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, are planning to derail the cause of justice in the various Election Petition Tribunals across the country.
The PDP condemned APC’s attack on PDP members at governorship election petition Tribunal premises in Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna.
It alleged that APC was plotting to sustain the attacks with the intention to instill fear on judiciary so as to derail the cause of justice.
On the issue of the election of principal officers for the incoming 10th National Assembly, the PDP said, “With regard to the current race for the presiding officers of the National Assembly, it is instructive to note that the opposition parties put together form a strong majority in the National Assembly and we are very mindful of that.
“The PDP leadership is working together with our members-elect and opposition parties in the two chambers.
“Irrespective of the on-going and claims in the media, I want to inform you that the PDP has a clear direction which we hold close to our chest, our members are united in that direction and it will show on the floor of both Houses of the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
“In all, we do not discountenance the fact that put the opposition parties have the majority in the National Assembly which we are ready to deploy maximally
“We are not taking our eyes off the fact that the process of the 2023 Presidential election is still on-going at the Presidential Election Petition Court and other Election Petition Tribunals across the country.
“The APC and INEC want to derail the cause of justice in the various Election Petition Tribunals across the country.
“INEC’s objection to its evidence in court. INEC’s seeking to frustrate the court and derail the cause of justice
“We condemn APC’s attack on PDP members at governorship election petition Tribunal premises in Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna.
“APC plots to sustain the attacks with the intention to instill fear on judiciary so as to derail the cause of justice.
“This justifies PDP demand for live coverage of the tribunal proceeding as party members would have been watching at home instead of going to the premises.
“We demand the immediate transfer of the Ogun and Nasarawa Election Tribunals to Abuja for safety and guarantee of justice”, the PDP said.