ABUJA, Nigeria – Minority parties in the Senate have reportedly agreed to unite in their efforts to secure chairmanships of committees.
A source disclosed on Sunday, July 9, 2023, that the decision was made at a minority caucus meeting.
“At the meeting of the minority caucus, a ranking senator advised us that we should make a bloc demand for chairmanship of committees, instead of lobbying as individuals. The strategy was accepted by all present, and the minority leader and his team were then mandated to carry out this task,” the source said.
As of now, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, holds the majority with 59 senators.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, follows with 36 senators, while the Labour Party, LP, has eight.
The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, each have two senators.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the Young Progressives Party, YPP, have one senator each.
This move comes as a strategic play by the minority parties to establish a more significant influence within the Senate and shape policy outcomes.
It remains to be seen how successful this united front will be and how the majority party will respond to this new development.
