Abia Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the state Assembly have rejected their exclusion from principal offices, which are occupied by minority Labour Party (LP) members.
Despite being the majority (11 members), PDP did not produce the Speaker, deputy Speaker, majority and minority leaders, as well as the Chief Whip and his deputy.
The 24-member House comprises 11 PDP, 10 LP, two Young Progressives Party (YPP) and One All Progressives Congress (APC) members, respectively.
The PDP, which earlier seemingly conceded the Speakership and deputy Speakership positions to the ruling LP on June 11, when the House was formally inaugurated, on Friday, rejected the exclusion of its members from holding any of the principal offices.
It was gathered that during last Friday’s sitting, the Speaker, Emmanuel Emeruwa, announced LP members representing Arochukwu and Aba North constituencies, Uchenna Okoro, and Destiny Nwagwu, as Majority and deputy majority leaders, respectively.
He also announced the LP member representing Umuahia South, Emeka Obioma, and YPP member representing Osisioma Ngwa North, Iheanacho Nwogu, as Chief Whip and deputy Chief Whip, respectively.
The Speaker explained that emergence of the principal officers was in accordance with the understanding reached between LP, YPP and APC to form an “alliance,” which put them in the majority position.
It was learnt that the PDP members had, in a letter to the Speaker, listed the party’s approved nominees for principal officers, which the Speaker declined to read on the floor of the House.
Addressing journalists after Friday’s plenary, the PDP members insisted that going by House rules and legislative norms, even at the federal level, it is the party with majority members that should produce the majority leader.
PDP member for Obingwa East Constituency, Solomon Akpulonu, told journalists that PDP would not allow LP, whose members constitute the minority in the House, to produce the Majority Leader.
He said: “We raised this issue at the executive session, and the Speaker was advised against touching the positions for the majority party, the PDP.”
