The Senate on Wednesday says the inability of the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, to read the letter of defection by 11 senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party is as a result of the constitutional issue surrounding it.
The spokesman of the Senate, Senator Eyinnnaya Abaribe, told newsmen after a closed doors session, which lasted for about two hours, that Mark would require advice from legal experts on the letter.
The 11 PDP senators are seeking to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
Abaribe said: “In the closed doors session, matters affecting the well being of Nigeria were discussed.
“Also, interest of the country was put first and the meeting was fruitful.
“I can confirm to you that the issue of defection was also discussed during the closed doors session and it was resolved that the Senate president in particular would have to seek further legal advice because of serious legal issues thrown up during the discussion based on interpretation of the Constitution and the Senate Standing Rule.
“So, more time was given for consultations.
“When it resumes on Tuesday, it would continue to look into the issue.
“Under the Senate Standing Rule Number 25, only the Senate president has the power and authority to interpret anything and he has decided to seek further legal advice.
“And I think it is good for the country.
“We are lawmakers, not law breakers.
“It was an attempt to seek political solution to the problem of defection that we had the discussion at the closed doors session.
“When we resume, we are also going to have further discussion.
“Members had gone to court against principal officers over retention of their seats.
“Based on that, you cannot go to court and would not want to wait for the ruling of that court.
“Anyway, we can still resolve matters amicably.”
But, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Gorge Akume (Benue-APC), opined that Mark should seek for political solution rather than going legal.
Akume’s words: “Well, it is open knowledge that 11 senators from PDP have indicated their interest to defect from PDP to APC.
“They are adequately covered by some provision of the constitution and of course the issue of defection is not new.
“It has happened before in the two chambers and when we met today to deliberate on this particular issue, we said okay, Senate president should look at political solution.
“Nobody talked about legal opinion on this matter.
“We are going to reconvene on Tuesday to continue on this issue.
“We want to believe strongly that by Tuesday this matter will be laid to rest in the interest of the country and for sanctity and integrity of the Senate.”
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