Buhari Rejects Ekweremadu's Emergence As Senate Vice-President
For President Muhammadu Buhari, the emergence of a Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) member as deputy Senate President in the current dispensation is nothing
short of a setback for his administration.
He is irked that some members of his own party, All Progressives Congress
(APC), conceded the position to Ike Ekweremadu when the PDP never gave that
much all through its 16 years in power between 1999 and last May.
But he is optimistic that the APC will overcome the setback.
President Buhari made his feelings known at a meeting with a delegation of the
Unity Forum at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday night.
The forum is the group of senators backing Dr. Ahmed Lawan, the APC anointed
candidate for the Senate Presidency.
Buhari, at the meeting, reportedly pleaded for the understanding of APC
Senators as the party explores reconciliation options.
However, the majority of the APC governors and state chairmen of the party are
insisting that Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Reps Speaker Yakubu
Dogara comply with the party’s directive on the choice of principal officers
of the National Assembly.
The APC governors and state chairmen are encouraging the leadership of the
party to enforce discipline to prevent it from collapsing.
Some party leaders, it was gathered, have proposed a former National Chairman
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, as chairman of the
APC Disciplinary Committee to look into allegations of anti-party activities
against some members.
President Buhari at the Friday meeting was said to have said there was no
reason for the party to be divided over who heads the National Assembly.
“The President gave us audience and admitted that the development in the
Senate was a setback but he expressed confidence that APC will overcome it,” a
source at the meeting said.
“He said there was no basis for the split among APC Senators which led to the
concession of the Office of Deputy President of the Senate to the PDP. He said
PDP did not give the opposition such an opportunity in its 16 years in power.
“Buhari told Lawan and others not to take the law into their hands as the
leaders of the party explore reconciliation options. He said peace and the
survival of the nation’s democracy should be paramount more than any other
thing.”
Asked to assess the President’s mood at the session, the source added: “He was
not happy about the development in the Senate but he was hopeful that the
situation is redeemable if some leaders can sacrifice their ambitions for the
survival of APC and his administration.”
Another source said: “The session was cordial and reassuring. The President
interacted with us individually and even had time to crack jokes with us
before we receded into the business of the day.
“As for the Lawan group, it was Senator Barnabas Gemade who spoke on behalf of
the 51 aggrieved Senators.
“Gemade said the Unity Forum is after justice since its members have
demonstrated their faith in APC leadership and having been loyal to the party
to a fault.
“Gemade restated the six demands of the group and the need to prevail on
Saraki and Dogara to abide by the directive of the party on the nominees for
principal offices in the Senate and House of Representatives.”
The source quoted Gemade as saying: “When the Vice President, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo called a meeting to address the looming challenge, it was only our
group that responded; we were the only group which participated in the party’s
straw poll and even on June 9, we deferred to the party’s invitation to a
meeting at the International Conference Centre.
“Before anybody knew it, the Like Minds went for the inauguration of the
Senate and elected Saraki.
“We have proved our unflinching loyalty to the party. This is the time for the
party to assert itself and enforce discipline or else members will continue to
take the leadership of the party for granted.”
Ahead of the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC on
Tuesday, there were indications last night that the governors elected on the
platform of the party and state chairmen are pushing for Dr. Saraki and Hon.
Dogara to comply with the party’s directive on the choice of principal
officers of the National Assembly.
They said they will no longer tolerate the defiance of the party by the two
leaders.
A member of the NWC said: “We are expecting a stormy session on Tuesday.
Saraki and Dogara will have to choose between loyalty to the party or
self-serving agenda.
“The only condition for moving forward is for these leaders to accept the list
sent to them by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
Those recommended by the APC for Senate positions are Sen. Ahmed
Lawan(Majority Leader)—North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye( Chief Whip)—South-West;
Sen. George Akume( Deputy Majority Leader)—North-Central; and Sen. Abu
Ibrahim(Deputy Chief Whip)—North-West.
The party’s list for the 8th House of Representatives is as follows: Hon. Femi
Gbajabiamila( House Leader)——South-West; Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa( Deputy
House Leader)—North-West; Hon. M. T. Monguno( Chief Whip)—North-East; and Hon.
Pally Iriase( Deputy Chief Whip)—South-South.
It was gathered that if Saraki and Dogara refused to respect the party’s list,
APC may resort to sanctions.
It was learnt that some forces in the party are pushing for the appointment of
a former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh as the head of the party’s
Disciplinary Committee.
A top member of the party said: “There is no doubt that Ogbeh is well grounded
in party politics and he is a disciplinarian. We are thinking of him to assist
in unraveling the anti-party activities in the Senate and the House.”
Source:
The Nation
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