North-East Senators demand Senate Leader’s slot

Written by Turaki A. Hassan Thursday, 23 June 2011 00:00

Senators from the North-east geo-political zone have insisted that the position of the Senate Leader must be zoned to the region as agreed earlier by the leaders of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Some Senators from the region who do not want their names in print told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that they have resolved not to accept any position given to them by the party other than that of the Senate Leader.

They argued that, the National Working Committee of the PDP had adopted a proposal zoning the position to the region but President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark were working to deny them the position because the president was alleged to have insisted that Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba from Cross Rivers State must be the one to become the next Senate Leader.

“The NWC made the proposal for us to have the position but they said they will have to wait for the President to come back from the America to seek his endorsement but when they took it to him he insisted that, the South-South must have the position and Senator Ndoma must be the one to occupy it”, said one of the Senators.

He said: “Instead of giving us the next most important position which is the Senate Whip, they now said we will only be given the position of deputy leader which is the 5th in line. Are they saying that, the North-East is not part of the PDP or is the South-South more PDP than us?”

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