Some senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday restated their confidence in the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
This was in spite of their disagreement with Saraki on Thursday over the confirmation of a former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as minister.
In fact, they staged a walkout as Amaechi was about to be confirmed.
The National Caucus of the PDP also at a late night meeting on Thursday said the confirmation of Amaechi has become an albatross on the neck of the All Progressives Congress.
The senators, elected on the platform of the PDP, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday that they would also continue to support Saraki as he faces his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
One of them, Gershom Bassey, said there was no rift between the senators of the PDP and their All Progressives Congress counterparts in the Red Chamber, adding that the PDP senators still had confidence in Saraki’s leadership.
Bassey said the senators may disagree on issues, but such disagreements were healthy for legislation.
He said: “We have had two votes of confidence on him and they stand.
“He has the confidence of the Senate and there is absolutely no problem.
“In spite of the disagreement between the APC and PDP senators, nothing has changed.
“In democracy, people must have different points of view and we must express those points of view.
“The Senate is a vibrant Senate that has a lot of vibrant debates.
“The Senate is not a football team that we all have to play in the same direction.”
According to Bassey, in the Senate, “we can play in different directions and still score the goal.
“I think the more debate there is in the Senate, the more vibrant it is.
“We must continue to discus different points of view.
“It is important that we have different points of view, but that does not mean we are enemies.”
Bassey revealed that the major disagreement was not the petition against Amaechi, but the move by APC senators to flout the rules of the Senate and confirm the nominee without considering the report on him.
He said the PDP senators did not see any reason for the rush to confirm Amaechi, adding that the party would never be part of any move to disobey the rules of the Senate in favour of anyone.
On his part, Senator George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East) said the PDP members at the upper chamber walked out to protest the refusal of the Senate to discuss a committee’s report on Amaechi, insisting that they would not go back on the decision.
Sekibo, who submitted the petition against Amaechi to the Senate shortly after the former governor was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari for ministerial appointment, said the PDP senators had made their position known.
According to him, it is now left for Nigerians to know what to do.
On Saraki’s assets declaration trial, he maintained that the PDP senators were solidly behind him.
He said: “The Code of Conduct case is against an individual and not APC.
“We gave him our support in the spirit of esprit de corps.
“As far as senators are concerned, what happened yesterday (Thursday) has passed.
“We are not working for political parties, but for the entire nation.
“When the time comes to express the wish of your people, you do that and that is what we did yesterday.
“We didn’t get it, so we let it go so that the country can move forward.
“We cannot hold the country to ransom.”
On Thursday after staging the walkout of the Senate chamber, the PDP senators said they were no longer in support of Saraki’s leadership.
They said in the first instance, they did not vote for him to emerge the president of the Senate.
Making their position known was the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The PDP senators said Saraki only emerged the leader of the Senate because there was no other candidate seeking the office.


PDP senators make u-turn, declare support for Saraki -
http://theeagleonline.com.ng/pdp-senators-make-u-turn-declare-support-for-saraki

Blind Bats

That's what happens wen u realise that Saraki still holds d key to Sharing Committee chairmanship

That is politics for u.

infact dese ppl are actors, dey act film/drama more dan d actors we watch in movies
yeye ppl

we need a Rawlings to wipe out all pdp and apc members, as events have shown that they are in leadership positions for their own parochial and selfish interest

shameless people.after being shunned by the SP they shud av stood their ground and become a meaningful opposition to the ruling party,but sheer greed wont allow them.thats y i dont like naija politricktians,i dont knw d essence of their yeye walkout nw

Confused set of people. Whether you support Saraki or not, its none of our business as APC decides what happens to him having shown that they are in total charge of the red chamber.

Confused party

Dem no get choice naw