THERE was uproar at the Senate on Tuesday over the composition of the new leadership for the minority caucus.
Offices of the leader and whip of the caucus had been vacant since the Court of Appeal nullified the elections of the occupants 25 February.
The caucus comprises five political parties and has altogether 49 out of the 109 senators.
While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still maintained the majority of its members with 37 senators, Labour Party (LP) has seven members.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have two senators each while APGA has one.
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Simon Mwadkwon, a former senator representing Plateau North under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the minority leader before he was sacked by the court in October.
Darlington Nwokocha, a former senator representing Abia Central under the platform of the LP was the minority whip before an Appeal Court sacked him earlier this month.
At the plenary on Tuesday, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South) as the new minority leader and Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West) as the minority whip.
Mr Akpabio said they were endorsed for the positions by a majority of the members of the minority caucus.
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Upon the announcement, some members of the caucus openly protested against the choice of Messrs Moro and Ngwu on the grounds that they are members of the PDP.
The aggrieved senators complained that their choice was unfair to other political parties in the minority caucus and demanded their withdrawal.
Uproar
Okechukwu Ezea (LP, Enugu North) who raised a point of order against the nominations queried the rationale behind two members of the PDP occupying the positions.
Mr Ezea said it is unfair, unjust and unacceptable for the PDP to occupy two positions while the other parties have nothing.
“There is no way the PDP will take three seats and the LP and other minority parties will not have anything. It is unfair, unjust and unacceptable,” the senator said.
Tony Nwoye (LP, Anambra North) who also rejected the nominations was heard screaming “are we your slaves, how can you be choosing minority leader for us?”.
Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) urged the Senate to suspend the nomination of the minority whip because the caucus had yet to decide on which party should produce its occupant.
Mr Aliero confirmed that the caucus had unanimously endorsed Mr Moro, a former interior minister, for the position of the minority leader.
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But the senate president ruled the aggrieved senators out of order, saying a majority of the senators of the minority parties endorsed the nominations.
Amid the uproar, Mr Akpabio approved the nomination of Mr Moro and that of Mr Ngwu pending when the minority caucus settled their differences.
