Confusion Hits APC Over Replacement Of Saraki As Senate President

The All Progressives Congress Senate Caucus has been hit by division over the choice of replacement of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Daily Trust reports.

The Senators are reportedly divided between picking Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) or Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom).

Naija News recalls that Senator Akpabio officially joined the APC at a mega rally organized in Akwa Ibom on Wednesday.

A Sources disclosed that two camps have emerged after Tuesday meeting of the All APC National Assembly caucus with the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

It was gathered that at the previous meeting, Lawan was endorsed as Saraki’s replacement and Sunny Ogbuoji (APC, Ebonyi) was selected as replacement for Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.

The endorsements led to collation of signatures for the impeachment of Saraki and Ekweremadu. The move followed Saraki’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Tuesday meeting was held behind closed doors at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
A lawmaker said the agenda of the meeting was to look into the crisis between the federal lawmakers and state governors, but that the focus was purely on how to effect leadership change at the Senate.

Three senators; two from the Northwest and one from Northeast (a female) supported the position of the rep. The two senators from the Northwest narrated their ordeals in the hands of their governors.

One of them traced the genesis of his feud with his governor to when he supported Lawan in 2015 at the inauguration of the Senate.

The plights of Senator Babajide Omoworare, Soji Akanbi and Yahaya Abdullahi were also raised at the meeting.

“A senator lamented that the trio were punished by Saraki because of Lawan. He said when Lawan became the Senate Leader he did nothing to address the situation,” the source said.

“They are in total support of the removal of Saraki and Ekweremadu but the argument is the issue of Lawan. People are now canvassing for Akpabio because he sacrificed his seat (minority leader) for APC.

“What we are saying now is that the two should be allowed to campaign and senators should be allowed to select their leaders. Lawan should not be forced on us,” he said.

Reminded that the party requires 2/3 to change Saraki, he said “We are not talking of number now. The problem is how to resolve who replaces them at the end of the day.”
At the end of the meeting, Oshiomhole promised that all the issues raised would be looked into.