Paul Michael
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has written to the Senate seeking the appointment of Senator Shaibu Lau representing Taraba North senatorial district as the replacement for Senator Emmanuel Bwacha as Senate Deputy Minority Leader.
The Trumpet recalls that Senator Emmanuel Bwacha representing Taraba South senatorial district recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senator Bwacha at the resumption of the plenary session for the week rose to inform the Senate of his decision to leave the PDP for the APC citing factionalisation and division in the PDP in Taraba State as reason for his defection.
He also said that he is mindful of the infrastructural development brought by the APC to his state and this is also responsible for his decision to leave the PDP.
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Raising a point of order, however, Senator George Sekibo argued that the constitution is clear that a lawmaker must retain his or her seat until the end of that tenure and can only defect to another party if there is a division in the party and the evidence of the division must be brought before the house.
Responding, Senate President Ahmad Lawan ruled Sekibo out of order while maintaining that Senator Bwacha understands the political situation in his state better than Sekibo.
He further said the PDP National headquarters has been informed of this decision and has already appointed Senator Shuaibu Lau as the new deputy minority leader.
Senator Bwacha last Thursday decamped from the opposition PDP to the APC, saying that his constituents called on him to join the APC.
He was subsequently received officially into the ruling party by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, last week.
