Leadership Crisis Rocks PDP Caucus Over House Committee Chairmanship

Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the House of Representatives are contemplating passing a vote of no confidence on their leadership over what they described as partisanship and favouritism in the appointments of members of the party into the standing committees of the House.

Sources among the aggrieved PDP lawmakers  mainly from the South-west caucus said that they  are up in arms against the  leadership led by Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor,  over the way the affairs of the caucus are being managed,  alleging that the leaders are running a one man show and  not consulting other members before taking important decision that affect  them.

The lawmaker who wants to remain anonymous  also  accused the leadership of favouring PDP members from the South-south in the appointments made so far including the ongoing constitution of the membership of the standing committee of the House.  They also accused some South-south governors of using money to influence the appointments of South-south members in the minority caucus to juicy House committee chairmanship positions to the detriment of  members  from other zones.

“We (PDP members from the South-west)  are even contemplating pulling out of PDP if the leadership continues to marginalise us in the scheme of things, particularly in the composition of leadership of the committees…”

Read More: thisdaylive

APC Caucus Meets On Tuesday

The national caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is expected to meet on Tuesday to resolve the crisis rocking the party over the selection of principal officers in the National Assembly.

Tuesday’s meeting, which will hold at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, is expected to serve as a prelude to a more expansive meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) later in the week.

The meeting would review the crisis that has engulfed the party’s members in the National Assembly as well as the actions taken by the party so far to address it.

The meeting, which scheduled to start at 11a.m. will be attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Dr. Saraki , House Speaker, Dogara and leaders of the party.

There are speculations that some members may ask the Chairman of the party, John Oyegun to step down for his perceived failure to nip in the bud the National Assembly crisis that has shaken the party so much.

Read More: TheSun

North-Central Reps Caucus Endorses Dogara For Speaker

Members of the North-Central caucus in the House of Representatives have endorsed Yakubu Dogara as the next Speaker of the House.

The lawmakers said they have resolved to vote for Dogara in bloc because of his leadership qualities.

The caucus in a statement on Wednesday said members from the six states of the region and the Federal Capital Territory have resolved to queue behind Dogara during the election of the next Speaker of the House in June.

The statement was jointly signed by a group of both returning and newly elected members of the House of Representatives from the zone.

Those that signed the statement were Herman Hembe (Benue), Zaphaniah Jisalo (FCT), Umar Bago (Niger), Samson Okwu (Benue), Umar Buba Jibril (Kogi), Zakari Mohammed (Kwara), Davematics Ombugado (Nasarawa) and Golu Timothy (Plateau).

Read More: NewTelegraph

Saraki, Akume Divide North-Central Senate Caucus

The race for the Senate President seat has divided current and newly elected senators from the North-Central. The division is over who to support between the two leading candidates for the position from the zone.

Senators Bukola Sariki and George Akume have shown interest in the post. The ambition of the two senators has divided the caucus into two camps with those in support and those against each of the candidates throwing up their advantages and disadvantages.

The split has led to some other senators from other zones to be looking outside the North-Central towards the Northeast and are said to be putting Senator Ahmad Lawan as their preferred candidate.

Read More: Vanguard