Nigeria
Is In Trouble With Saraki As Senate President” – Ex-NBA Chairman,
Monday Ubani Laments.There seems to be no let-up on the crisis rocking
the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The
naming of principal officers for the Eighth Senate has added salt to
the party’s wound. By refusing to honour the party’s position, Dr.
Bukola Saraki has re-enacted the controversy that threw him up as Senate
President on June 9.
Rather
than read the letter written to the Senate by APC’s National Chairman
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on the floor of the Upper Chamber on Wednesday,
he ruled Senator Gbenga Ashafa, who brought up a motion on the matter,
out of order.
The letter spelt out the party’s position and its choice candidates for principal offices in the Senate.
In
it are the names of senators Ahmed Lawan (Northeast, Majority Leader);
George Akume (Northcentral, Deputy Majority Leader); Prof. Sola Adeyeye
(Southwest Chief Whip) and Abu Ibrahim (Northwest, Deputy Chief Whip).
A
similar letter to House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara,
listed the names of preferred candidates for the principal offices in
the lower legislative chamber. They are: Femi Gbajabiamila (House
Leader), Southwest; Alhassan Ado Doguwa (Deputy House Leader),
Northwest; M.T. Monguno (Chief Whip), Northeast and Pally Iriase (Deputy
Chief Whip), Southsouth.
Saraki
directed the caucuses in the senate to meet and submit their nominees
for the principal offices. He discountenanced the chairman’s letter
conveying the party position.
Before adjourning yesterday till July 21, Saraki named the principal officers.
Constitutional lawyer Prof Itse Sagay, (SAN), described Saraki’s defiance as a rebellion against the party.
“It
is a rebellion against the process that brought him to the Upper
Chamber of the National Assembly. It is the height of indiscipline that
could lead to party’s collapse if care is not taken,” he said
Sagay
went on: “The leadership of the APC should take the bull by the horn
and discipline over ambitious Saraki. He should be expelled from the
party before he destroyed it. Saraki has succeeded in destabilising the
APC through his in-subordinate and confrontational attitude.
“The
party should make its position known and stand by its nominees for the
principal offices in the Senate. APC should call the bluff of arrogant
and power conscious senate president.
“The
party should not condone indiscipline. It should mete out severe
punishment to Saraki and his co-travellers in the Senate who belong to
the ruling party”.
Another lawyer, Monday Ubani, described Saraki’s posturing as very sad.
According
to him, with what has played out again in the selection of principal
officers, if Saraki has his way, and if he remains as Senate President,
everything he does will favour members of the Senate and not the APC.
Ubani,
a former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, said
Saraki’s allegiance will be to the members of the Senate, particularly
those who facilitated his emergence as Senate President.
The
former NBA chair said: “His (Saraki’s) ambition has put him in a
quagmire and he is ready to do the evil. He will not take directive from
the party but from members. Saraki will go back to PDP sooner or later.
“APC
is in trouble with such a man occupying that position. His disposition
will affect the executive arm of government. With such a conservative
element at the helm of the National Assembly, the change APC is working
for will be perverted. Nigeria is in trouble.”
