Says they are not carried along because they have no Money like the Governors, to meet Secondus, Others
The PDP Senators at a closed-door meeting on Wednesday in Abuja complained that as lawmakers, they not taken into consideration, their inputs are not taken and opinion not sought by the National Working Committee of the party.
Vanguard gathered that this formed the agenda of the closed-door meeting, just as the Senators were said to have complained bitterly that the NWC only accept the views of the Governors, thereby neglecting them simply because they do not have money like the Governors.
A source told Vanguard that it is frustrating that as elected representatives of the people, the party has pushed them aside, just as they cited issues of congresses where the Senators were not allowed to play very prominent roles in their senatorial districts.
Vanguard also gathered that the Senators have agreed to meet with the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, with a view to expressing their grievances and frustration.
The source who spoke with Vanguard after the meeting said, ” the meeting was basically about how the National leadership of the party is frustrating us, how the NWC has abandoned and rejected us, our views and opinions do not matter to the National leadership.
”The leadership only recognises the Governors, we are not recognised because we do not have money like our state governors, we will continue to meet and we are meeting with the NWC to express our feelings and reservations. We are simply not happy.”
But addressing journalists after the meeting, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South who noted that issues relating to the party were discussed as well as recent congresses, however, assured that the party will Capture Edo and Ondo States in the forthcoming elections.
He also said that as a caucus, it was agreed that the government would be supported in its fight to end the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic.
Abaribe said, “The PDP caucus met and considered matters that are germane to – internal matters of the caucus. We also discussed matters related to the party and the recent congresses were held in all the states of the federation.
“We also considered the fact that there would be elections in two states; Edo and Ondo states. We resolved that we will encourage our members in both states to be able to capture those states so we can increase the number of states under the PDP in Nigeria.”
“We agreed that we are going to support the federal government in its fight against the global pandemic COVID-19 and urge Nigerians to do their best to stay safe.”
When asked why the use of capture, Abaribe said, “Every election under this new regime of the APC is turned into a battlefront, so I’m using battle language. The PDP is very ready to make sure that those states that were under PDP before will return to the fold.”