The formal announcement Tuesday by the Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, that he has crossed from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressive Party, citing division and factions in the PDP in his Taraba South constituency of Taraba state, was met with a mixture of joy and fury at the plenary.
Bwacha stated that he was leaving the PDP due to his "want to breathe freely, to function in an atmosphere of equal competition, and to enjoy the full exercise of my fundamental human rights."
The APC members cheered, including Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who instructed the Chief Whip to lead Bwacha to his new seat on the majority side.
However PDP Senators reacted with fury. They didn’t take it
lightly, as shown when Senate George Thompson Sekibo raised a Point of Order
from the Senate Standing Rules and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to oppose
Bwacha that there was no division or faction in the PDP and therefore must
vacate his seat haven left the party that sponsored his election.
The Senate President however rose to the defense of Bwacha
by saying that Sekibo from Rivers state was not in a good position to know if
there is faction in Taraba South senatorial district of PDP.
Most importantly, Lawan said as the Senate President, he has
the power to rule on the issue that has to do with the Senate Standing Rules
and anything that has to do with the Constitution.
Therefore, he didn’t hesitate to use that power well when he ruled Sekibo “out of order”.
0 Comments