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They did not respond as they marched behind Udoma to his seat. One by one, they made a show of paying homage to him by shaking his hands as he took his new position.
Except Oyofo who was absent from the chambers and Senator Oserhiemen Osunbor who was not around, all others paid homage to Udo-Udoma, including Senator Patrick Osakwe who was not around when Oyofo was sacked by 13 of his colleagues from the zone.
Yesterday, the scheduled meeting of the Senators from the zone with Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh did not hold. No reason was given, but it was gathered that the meeting with the Leader of the party from the zone and Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, would hold as planned tonight, although the Senators insisted that they agreed to the parley on the understanding that the Oyofo removal would not feature.
The new Chief Whip said categorically yesterday that no "pressure, persuasion, or force" had been brought to bear on him to step down from any quarters.
Senate sources said that Oyofo's absence was not unconnected with moves to reinstate him.
He was said to have been spotted in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
A source said he attended an evening meeting attended by Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Ogbeh, Anenih, PDP Vice Chairman (South West),Chief Olabode George and Wabara.
"It was resolved that he should be re-instated," an aide to Oyofo said yesterday on phone. There was no corraborative evidence from other party sources or from the Senate President's office.
Oyofo is accused by his fellow South-South Senators of working against the interest of the Niger Delta, in addition to taking sides with top party officials and a governor in the replacement of late Chief Aminasoari Dikibo with Chief Godspower Ake.
Ake was named by the PDP as its new Vice-Chairman in the South-South.
Yesterday, it was gathered that oyofo's position when the issue of the N25 billion capitalisation of banks was being discussed put him in bad stead with the Senate leadership, because he made a comment that was interpreted to mean that he was directly opposed to the Wabara.
Oyofo had contended that the Senate would handle the issue of the capitalisation with objectivity adding that he backed the policy to raise capital base of banks to N25 billion.
Wabara, whose is believed to be sympathetic to bankers had earlier in an interview with journalists criticised the increase.
On the eve of Oyofo's removal, he had argued against Senator Ibiapuye Martyns-Yellowe's Minimum Social Responsibility Bill.
The bill was intended to compel the oil companies to establish administrative head offices in their areas of operations so that they would be close to their host communities and pay taxes to such states.
Furthermore, the bill seeks to legislate on a realistic and equitable allocation of employment and business opportunities to indigenes of host communities, councils and states in a manner that all unskilled labour and contracts are left for indigenes of the host councils.
The bill also wants a 50 per cent of semi-skilled jobs and contracts reserved for indigenes of the host State.
