The Presidency on Wednesday, said the Clerk of the National Assembly and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, snubbed President Muhammadu Buhari’s request and conducted the election that produced Saraki as Senate President.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that there was a request for the National Assembly to move the time of the inauguration in other for the meeting with the All Progressives Congress lawmakers to hold.
Shehu, who spoke on Sunrise Daily, a morning programme on Channels TV, explained that Buhari declined to meet the 51 APC lawmakers at the International Conference Centre because election had already been completed by lawmakers who stayed back at the National Assembly complex.
According to him, the point of going to the ICC was lost once the process of election had begun.
He said: “Well, President Buhari had planned to be there to show support for the party and once the process had began, the point had been lost. Let me make this clear, I think somebody just wanted to bump into the President because the President had discussed what he wants. Governor Saraki directly or indirectly, the clerk of the National Assembly was reached directly or indirectly and they would have shown that respect to Mr. President, but the process went ahead. And that is it.
“I am talking about the clerk, governor Saraki, the key characters in all of these had sufficient information directly or indirectly coming to them that the President will be meeting the party members and the party chairman was present on the ground. Assumption would have been that every loyal and committed party member would have presented themselves to the party and to their President. That did not happen yesterday (Tuesday).
“I mean the information had been made available to people who would have decide this process. A respect for the President even if and for him to have made this point, even the outcome would have been the same. They chose to be absent. They chose to respect their party and the President. 51 APC Senators decided to answer the call of the party and the President and were present to this meeting. It was not as if it was a secret meeting.
“The party had begun a process and concluded it and some of these actors were part of that process. They knew what had happened. There was a shadow election of some sort. It is clear that there was nothing accidental in all of these things that happened. The process I meant, what I meant is that the APC as a party had began a process for choosing leaders. There was a shadow election in which leaders were chosen on the platform of the political party and it was complete. There was no doubt about it.
Shehu debunked claims that the meeting was made secret, adding that the invitation for the meeting was online and all efforts were made to notify the key people involved in the drama that played out on Tuesday.
He also denied that President Buhari deliberately kept the 51 APC lawmakers at the ICC in order for them not to partake in the election.
He, however, said that Buhari will work with whoever is the Senate President, adding that the President will support whatever decision the APC takes.
Shehu added that the President has not congratulated Saraki and Dogara over their victories. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Game changers.....! APC beware! Z
ReplyDeleteAs a patriotic Nigeria that supported the change in this great country, i am yet to overcome the bad news of what happened on Tuesday. From the drama that took place, we must be ready to face the reality. Action of some of those politicians that defected from PDP to APC is a bad omen.
ReplyDeleteWell, from their actions, the new administration will understand that it is always difficult to try and change Cat into Lion. A bastard will always remain the same.
You meant to say a patriotic APC member, cos from your comment there is no place for Nigeria
DeleteDo you understand the meaning of 'Separation of Powers?' Buhari should face his Executive and leave the Legislators to do their business.
DeleteRubbish!
The only change I have seen so far is the dropping of charges against Timinepre Sylva who was charged by EFCC for corruption. Remeber he was not charged by Jonathan. His case had been going on since Obasanjo's Era. This is abuse of power by the Presidency.
ReplyDeleteThe action of Bukola Saraki and his group is immoral and unethical. Nigerians must refuse to accept this type of leadership for our senate.
ReplyDeleteNigeria deserve responsible leaders. Saraki is pursuing his personal agenda.
The court should resolve this logjam.
If Saraki is pursuing a personal agenda, what agenda was Tinubu and the other undemocratic forces pursuing? Of course, Buhari didn't want to be part of any of those nonsense. Tinubu should allow this country to be!!!!!!
DeleteHonestly,APC is falling to realized that most of the ex PDP governors that defected to their party are masquerade,you can predict them,they Got to have manipulating experience from their former party which believe in getting what they need through using all mighty formula in solving their wuruwuru quadratic equation on how to dabaru an organized plan process.watch out you never seeing anything yet from them.when Nigerian are celebrating the victory of SAI BUHARI.we got so carry away .forgetting that these power brokers love power and they will opted to change the change that is on linear equation to simulteneous equation using those trained political hawkers defectee of their party as equation 1,and those who are still present in the PDP that have enjoying the honey aspect of nigeria as equation 2.so there must be value for x=saraki and value for y=ekweremandu,so APC could not change these two variables by now except if they will resulted into intra party crisis.watch out the real APC MEMBERs. YOU HAVE PUT FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN.THEY HAVE HICJACK YOUR VICTORY,WISE UP NOWWWWWWWWW.Nigerian are watching 2019 will soon come around
ReplyDeleteYour "analysis" is so so stupid.
DeleteDid you put in your useless equation, the interest of those 49 PDP senators and where they come from??? Your so called National interest is simply Tinubu and Yoruba interest. The Hausa man is watching.
saraki win that is GOOD change more are on the way ,,,,,,change is a must ,,,I don't want to be taken back to the iron age
ReplyDeleteLet us not forget in a hurry that Tambuwal did it recently and you all shouted and told PDP to allow the house chose who to lead them. I sincerely think that we should tell APC to do it right next time by not meddling with the affairs of an independent arm of government. Let them (APC) concentrate on ministerial appointments which they have power to influence and stop seeking excuses for failure.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmmmmm Nigeria see the new change from APC Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteSaraki is outwardly an APC member but inwardly a PDP member. The PDP want to use him to frustrate Buhari. I dont see Saraki as an APC member. He has exhibited the usual character of PDP with very corrupt party members.
ReplyDeleteThere is need for the APC to thread softly on the issue of Saraki as senate president. When you have a mission or goal to achieve, distractions should not be allowed, which Saraki and his PDP group wants to bring into the polity. APC should borrow a leaf from our President by ignoring what Saraki is trying to nurture because there are ways of handling people that are self serving and over ambitious like Saraki. The APC has a majority in the Senate, the Presidency controls the executive and any recalcitrant individual that will want to block the wind of change in Nigeria will be disgraced provided there are clear, unambiguous program for change which the masses of Nigeria believes should be followed. The people are fully behind Buhari and a thousand of Saraki and his PDP friends can not draw the nation back.
ReplyDelete