PDP senators meet and elect Abia South's Enyinnaya Abaribe as senate minority leader

CONTROVERSIAL Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who once stood bail for Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) leader Nnamdi Kanu has been elected as the new senate majority leader by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Representing Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Abaribe, 64, was the chairman of the southeast caucus in the senate during the eighth National Assembly. He attracted international attention when he stood bail for Mr Kanu and there were calls for his arrest when the Ipob leader jumped bail and fled to Israel.

With the PDP the only real opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly, the party has moved to fill all the minority leadership positions. Senator Abaribe has been elected as the minority leader with Senator Emmanuel Bwacha from Taraba South Senatorial District, serving as his number two, retaining his position as deputy minority leader.

Senator Phillip Aduda,  representing the Federal Capital Territory, also retained his position as the minority whip, while Senator Clifford Ordia, representing Edo Central Senatorial District was elected as the deputy minority whip. PDP leaders will formally write the senate president Ahmad Lawan today, informing him of the appointments.

Apparently, the PDP senators met at the Abuja home of their party chairman Uche Secondus, to agree on the National Assembly leadership positions. Later today, the PDP's national working committee will meet with its House of Representatives caucus to select leaders for the lower chamber.