The senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are still pained by what they called ‘Saraki’s betrayal’ on the issue of the screening of former Rivers State governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, as minister. “We are still ruing Saraki’s betrayal over Amaechi; no decision on him yet but one thing is sure; we won’t allow him to use us again,” a South- South senator confided in New Telegraph.
According to media report, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, appears to be caught in a web of intrigues as PDP senators have resolved not to give backing to Bukola Saraki anytime the APC leadership goes after him. “We are still ruing Saraki’s betrayal over Amaechi; no decision on him yet but one thing is sure; we won’t allow him to use us again.
“It is painful that after our earlier agreement that the issue of the committee report on Amaechi be debated, the Senate President went his party way and brazenly cleared Amaechi. “We know the Senate President will soon be under pressure from his party leadership to step aside and mark my words, we will not be there to save him; he has to carry his cross alone,” a senator from one of the South- South states confided in our correspondent. But it is yet to be seen how effective the PDP senators can carry their plan as the leadership of the opposition party is said to be concerned that Ekweremadu might be affected in the long run.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a telephone chat said the party had ‘implicit confidence’ in the senators on its platform. “We made it clear that in the light of the ministerial screening process that was lacking in the rule of law and due process, especially when the issues on the table have to do with alleged corruption, we gave our support that they staged a walk out.
“On whether or not the PDP senators will withdraw support for the Senate President anytime the APC decides to go after him, as a party, we have the firm and implicit confidence in our distinguished senators that they will always do what is right at any given time, we don’t want to pre-empt them at all,” Metuh said.
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