The just-concluded primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have no doubt, left bitter pills for lawmakers on its platform to swallow.
Going into the process, many of them had thought it would be a walk over, especially with an alleged “deal” with the presidency to give them subtle support.
But it didn’t come or, perhaps, was inadequate as nearly half of about 70 PDP Senators lost their bid to return to the red chamber in June next year.
Now that the die is cast, the aggrieved lawmakers are set to take out their anger on Senate president, David Mark, who they accused of not doing enough to protect them from the onslaught by their state Governors, a situation that saw the emergence of candidates believed to the inferior to them in terms of political experience, wits and support base.
Although Mark, in this case, could do little since his influence is not bound on the so-called powerful governors who the hold aces – choice of delegates, funds, power of incumbency and so on – the Senator insisted that Mark was more occupied with returning himself to the Senate a fifth time.
To this end, the legislators are reportedly promoting the candidature of the minority leader, George Akume and chairman of the Committee on Environment and Ecology, Bukola Saraki as successor to the position.
The former is from Benue, same as incumbent Mark, while the latter is from Kwara. Both are influential within the chamber and polity and highly regarded in their home states.
If the plot sees the light of the day, Mark, would for first time in eight years, sit on the conjoined red sofas, watch and partake in proceedings like his colleagues while someone else presides.
DAILY POST learnt that despite Mark reaching out to those who lost out with the aim of pacifying them, it may just be too late as their minds seem made.
Part of their grouse is that efforts and dedication to party and Senate leadership were rewarded with mere light weight promises to ensure their reelection.
A senator was quoted as saying: “We never expected the party to treat us this way. We stood by the party when there was turbulence occasioned by the emergence of the new PDP”.
“There was a plot then to impeach the same leadership but we stepped in and stopped it with our sheer number. In fact, we used our personal contacts to talk to the organisers and they backed down”.
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