Tension rises in Senate!!

 

The Senate for the second time in two days held an executive session  on Wednesday because of  the fear that an open deliberation  on the defection bid of the 11 Peoples Democratic Party senators to the All Progressives Congress could generate tension.

But tension still played out as the aggrieved senators and their APC counterparts  left   angrily immediately the session which lasted about two hours ended.

The action of the  senators , who were led by Senator Magnus Abe,  was considered ‘strange,’ going by the fact that the Senate President, David Mark,  was usually allowed to  leave the chamber  before  other lawmakers.

A meeting between  Mark and  the aggrieved senators on Tuesday night over the issue had ended inconclusively.

Our correspondent learnt that the  intention of the aggrieved  senators    was to brief  journalists about what transpired  during the executive session.

A source at the  session told The  PUNCH that  Abe and  the others  were disappointed when Mark directed the Senate spokesperson, Enyinnaya  Abaribe, to  brief the  media on the outcome of the meeting.

Abaribe told  journalists   that the meeting resolved that  Mark should  seek legal advice before he could act on the letter of defection written by the 11 senators.

He explained that  there were serious legal and constitutional issues surrounding the defection of the aggrieved lawmakers which  needed  the  opinion of legal experts.

 The Senate spokesman said  more time was given for further consultations.

He said, “It was also resolved that when the Senate resumes plenary on Tuesday,  the issue of defection  would also  be looked into.