Lagos Central Senator, Oluremi Tinubu, on Wednesday protested what she called ‘favouritism’ against her party, All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Senate.
Mrs Tinubu said that as a ranking senator and member of the majority party, she should be called to move a motion and not to second one moved by a senator of a minority party.
The protest followed the presiding officer, Ike Ekweremadu’s decision to call on Gilbert Nnaji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to move a motion for the adoption of the previous’ day votes and proceedings.
After the motion was moved by Mr Nnaji, Mrs Tinubu rose to protest the choice of the ‘minority’ senator.
“With every due respect Mr. President, can you give me a minute? Why would I second a minority for crying out loud?” an obviously angry Mrs Tinubu said.
Her protest threw the chamber into a noisy session as many PDP senators counter-protested.
Shouts of “I am not a minority” rent the air.
After a while, Mrs Tinubu continued her speech.
“We are majority, you ought to choose a majority before moving the motion and with all due respect to the Senate President, I have been here before you. All of you that are sitting, you can see that the ranking senator here, permit me, all of you that are even revolting are just rookie senators. Excuse me,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu said that she will only second the motion because the mover is a ‘ranking senator’, noting that she would not have done otherwise if it was moved by ‘rookie senators.’
“This time, I would do it because I don’t want to waste much time, I would it because you chose Senator Gilbert Nnaji. Nnaji used to be my colleague in the 7th Senate but if you had taken some of these new ones that came, I don’t think I would have done it.
“Because you ought to learn order of precedence. They call it order of precedence. You have to learn order of precedence. You are not yet a majority and you can never be a majority. Mr. President is just doing favouritism which shouldn’t be that.
“But I would do it because Senator Nnaji happens to be my neighbour and also a well-respected colleague, I will do it for you but not for the new ones. Thank God you choose well.”
After a speech intermittently backgrounded by protesting voices of PDP senators, she seconded the motion.
“Anyway, having registered my protest, I rise to support the motion ably moved by my colleague that the votes and proceedings of Tuesday be adopted. Thank you.”
Mr Ekweremadu who presided however noted that her protest had no basis.
“Meanwhile, your point has no basis under our rules,” he said.
