It was an atmosphere of confusion on Wednesday in Senate as the Senators elected under the People Democratic Party (PDP) stage a walkout in what they described as protest of illegality.
The problem started when the Senate President Bukola Saraki read a letter from Senator Yele Omobunwa stating his declaration to decamp from PDP to APC.
But in a swift move the Minority Leader of the Senate Senator Godwill Akpabio through order 43 of the Senate Standing rule call on the Senate President to declared Omobunwa seat vacant. “We must not encourage undue rascality. Mr. President the court of Appeal and the supreme Court has rule that there is no crises in PDP. Mr. President there is need for you to do the needfull and declared his seat vacant” Akpabio said.
In his ruling the Senate President rule Akpabio out of order.
The situation was further hitened when Senator Dino Melaye citing section 68 g that any Senator can defect another political party if there is crises in the party he was elected. He further stated that there is crises in PDP and further effort by the Minority Leader to respond Melaye was denied by the Senate President.
It was at this point that Senators elected under PDP led by the Minority Leader move out of the Chamber. All effort to stop them by APC Senators did not stop them from the walkout.
Addressing journalists immediately after the walkout, the PDP Senators throught their Leader Senator Godwill Akpabio said the walk out protest is against illegality. ” We are lawmakers not Lawbreakers. Senator Yele Omobunwa decamp from PDP due to the outcome of recent election in Ondo State. The issue of crises in PDP has been settle with the ruling by the supreme court and there is no crises in PDP and we make passionate appeal to the Senate President to declear his seat vacant and he decline. We felt that our contribution is no longer needed and the APC can do it alone” Akpabio said.
Senator Peter Nwaboshe in a further clarification said it is clear from the letter that the reason for Senator Yele Omobunwa defection is to go and support Governor elect Rotimi Akeredolu and not crises in PDP.
He said this is not allow in the constitution and called on Senator Yele Omobunwa to do the right thing by resigning and going to support the governor elect with a PDP seat.
