The spokesman for the Senate, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe , has said that the upper chamber of the National Assembly will not declare vacant the seats of senators who defect to other parties.
Abaribe said in a statement in Abuja on Friday that it had become necessary for the Senate to distance itself from the personal opinion of one of its members, Sen. Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom).
He said Enang expressed a personal opinion by telling newsmen in Abuja on Thursday that the Senate was lawfully supposed to declare the seat of any defecting senator vacant.
The clarification is against the backdrop of some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly planning to join All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abaribe also distanced the President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark, from Enang’s statement.
He said the view was Enang’s personal opinion to which he was entitled but had nothing to do with the Senate as a chamber of the National Assembly.
Abaribe also said the statement had nothing to do with the Senate president, who had in a statement given assurance that the leadership of PDP would work to keep the party intact and prevent further crisis in the party.
Abaribe said that “in the first place, there is no acrimony in the Senate irrespective of political party affiliation.
“The Senate is still on vacation to resume on the 14th of Jan. and only after its deliberations would any statement on urgent matters of state be issued. Continue reading…
Source: Leadership
