Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were plotting to take over the position of the Senate President in the event that embattled Senator Bukola Saraki is forced to vacate the seat.
According to Vanguard newspaper, as part of the moves to carry out their plans, PDP senators were holding meetings with some All Progressives Congress, APC, senators sympathetic to Saraki.
The Senate President is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, following a 13-count charge brought against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, bordering on false declaration of assets in 2003.
The APC, which initially had 60 senators, now has 59, following the death of Senator Ahmed Zannah. PDP has 49 senators. To elect a Senate President, a simple majority is required – whereas to impeach same, a two third majority vote is required.
The Senate resumes on Tuesday.
With 108 senators, a simple majority vote of 55 will decide who would become the new Senate President.
The calculation is that if APC uses the CCT or other means to remove Saraki, the PDP would reach out to the Senate President’s core supporters in APC who sense that they, too, like Saraki, may become endangered. They will then try to get the number to make the balance and go ahead with either Senator David Mark or the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, as the replacement.
One of the PDP senators told Sunday Vanguard , yesterday, that the APC should count itself lucky that PDP did not field one of its own for the position on June 9, 2015, when the Senate was inaugurated, adding, “We are already strategising ahead in case Senate President Bukola Saraki is removed, we are going to support a pro-Saraki Senator for the seat and with that PDP will be in charge of the Senate.”
At inauguration, the 33 senators-elect committed to Senator Ahmed Lawan, the party’s official candidate, were still waiting to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari at the International Conference Centre, ICC, about two kilometres away from the National Assembly, when inauguration commenced.
Having formed the quorum, Saraki was elected President of the 8th Senate with votes by 57 of 108 senators, while 51 senators, including Lawan, were absent. Saraki was the only nominee for the position. Ekweremadu of the PDP, interestingly, emerged Deputy Senate President, defeat ing Senator Ali Ndume of the APC with 54 votes against Ndume’s 20 votes. Both Saraki and Ekweremadu were immediately sworn-in by the Clerk of the Senate, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa.
The APC leadership has consistently expressed its displeasure at the emergence of Saraki.
Senator Peter Nwaboshi, PDP, Delta North, yesterday vowed that the his party would produce the next Senate President if Senator Bukola Saraki was removed – while at the same time expressing optimism for Saraki’s continued tenure as Senate President.
Although he insisted that “there is no such plan to remove Senate President Saraki, but I bet you that if there is anything of such, the PDP will produce the next Senate President; we will get it”. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Big fool, you think say e go easy like that again.
ReplyDeleteYou are strategizing, APC has learnt their mistakes and never will they go to slumber again.
All you corrupt member be you APC or any other party must not go unpunished.
The new sheriff is here to cleans the mess in the society. We are sure of him achieving a significant level of percentage.
To me APC is too soft touch. It is time to prefer charges against those who tinkered with the senate standing rules. To the prison they belong!
ReplyDeleteAPC means the ASSOCIATION OF PAST CRIMINALS. the party used boko haram and other dirty tricks to gain power and now they are at a loss on how to wield the power so a better prepared and experienced hand shall take it from them and use so that the country will live on
ReplyDeletePro-Saraki means those who are all for corruption and theft. To have Saraki or his elk in charge of the Senate is unacceptable, at a time when the country is trying for the first time in its history to address corruption. David Mark falls in that category of pro-Saraki because he is just another thief.
ReplyDeleteWhen ur father becomes a sanator,pls let us knw....
DeletePray for d nation. From Ebeco
ReplyDeleteAPC is a confused party...they better stay with saraki or face full PDP man taking over the Senate....oh wht a sweet drama...meeting with buhari is waste of time..Buhari is not a senator and won senate seat for no one..after all there s no senator that's not more than qualified to be president of this great country
ReplyDeleteAPC is a confused party...they better stay with saraki or face full PDP man taking over the Senate....oh wht a sweet drama...meetings with buhari is waste of time..Buhari is not a senator and won senate seat for no one..after all there s no senator that's not more than qualified to be president of this great country
ReplyDeleteThe Orginal past Criminals. Are the PDP if they were upright they would NT have loss the election grossly from a party formed less than a year before general election
ReplyDeleteWell. its all games of numbers. But What is Mark still doing there? To be Senate president for 3times of 12yrs.nMinisters and so many. Is he the only Person Nigerian has? Greed and rubbish. anyway Revolution may be the solution to these greedy pple in d senate
ReplyDelete