For the second time in a week, senators loyal to the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday clashed with their colleagues who have aligned with the Alhaji Abubakar Baraje-led New PDP at the Senate’s plenary.
A former Governor of Gombe State, now a senator, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, while speaking on the debate of a motion on the death of a former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, had referred to himself as a member of the ‘New PDP’.
This immediately infuriated senators loyal to the Tukur-led PDP.
In a twinkle of an eye, tension rose.
The group that attacked Goje was led by Senator Smart Adeyemi from Kogi State.
Adeyemi did this by raising a point of order.
According to him, Goje’s description of himself as a nPDP member was offensive.
He said there was only one PDP recognised by the Standing Rule of the Senate.
According to Adeyemi: “Thee regulatory body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, has not registered any other party beside PDP and Goje is still a member and has not decamped from the PDP.”
As Adeyemi was talking, senators from the opposing side shouted at him, apparently pitching their tents with the nPDP senators.
Embarrassed by the opposition members’ interference in a PDP affair, an enraged Adeyemi shouted back at them: “Keep quiet.
“Are you members of PDP?”
To douse tension, the President of the Senate, David Mark, asked Goje to clarify his statement.
Speaking, Goje said: “I am a founding member of PDP and I belong to the PDP headed by Kawu Baraje.”
Again, Tukur’s loyalists were not comfortable with his clarification and the shouting match continued.
At this point, Mark said: “We should not discuss the issue of chairman here in the chamber.
“There is only one united PDP and let it remain so.
“Let’s not drag ourselves into the matter that does not concern us.”
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