The senator representing Plateau north, Simon Mwadkwon, has emerged the Minority Leader of the Upper Legislative Chamber ahead of Aminu Tambuwal, senator representing Sokoto south.
This was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday.
“The minority caucus of the senate is made up of about seven political parties and have come up with their leadership so I will proceed to announce [the names],” Akpabio said.
“Senator Simon Mwadkwon, minority leader; Oyewumi Olalere, deputy minority leader; senator Darlington Nwokocha, minority whip; and senator Rufai Anga, deputy minority whip.”
Tambuwal, immediate-past governor of Sokoto and a former speaker of the house of representatives, was interested in leading the minority caucus of the senate.
However, when the principal officers of the minority leadership was announced, his name was conspicuously missing.
The former governor’s bid to be minority leader was met with stiff resistance from members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Many PDP members are still unhappy with the role Tambuwal played in the presidential primary election that threw up Atiku Abubakar as standard-bearer of the party.