How APC Will Unseat Saraki

Plans may be underway to unseat Bukola Saraki as Senate President as soon as the senate reconvened, following his defection from the ruling All Progressive Party (APC)

Saraki,last Tuesday, announced his defection from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, citing great provocation, ridicule, flagrant persecution, persistent onslaught against the legislature and open incitement of the people against their own representatives as some of the reasons for his action.

Recall that his announcement came less than 8 days after 15 Senators and 37 members of the House of Representatives dumped the APC for other parties.

Saraki’s defection was greeted with harsh criticisms from senators elected under the platform of the ruling party, some of who have threatened to force a change of leadership in the Senate.

Some have called for his immediate resignation by September 26 when the lawmakers end their annual recess, on grounds that the APC retains the majority in the National Assembly.

The National Vice Chairman of the APC (South South), Hilliard Eta, had said the senators will determine whether or not Saraki will be impeached.

He said, “As a party, we are not all senators; we have senators in the Senate. Saraki was elected as the President of the Senate by senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the senators that will decide whether Saraki remains their president or not.”

He said that no factions exist in the APC, hence, the senate president’s defection was illegal.

“But I can say this, there are no factions in the APC, we have one National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, nothing has happened to give any clue to factionalisation in our party and the constitution is very clear as to the grounds upon which defections can occur.

“For us as a party, we will defend the law and the constitution of this country. The PDP I am told would do everything in their power to defend Saraki, we will do everything legitimately to defend the laws of the land and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Similarly, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, (APC-Nasarawa) faulted Saraki for dumping the APC.

While stating that Saraki had stepped on “banana peel and should be prepared to bear the consequences of his action,” the senator added that “he (Saraki) made a mistake and he took a wrong decision. He will have stories to tell along the line.

“It is not the best he could have done. He had a duty to his father to keep the flag of the family flying, but the way he is going, I do not think he is doing that.”

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs and lawmaker representing Katsina South, Senator Abu Ibrahim, APC, urged Saraki to resign his position stating that only the majority party produces the leadership.

“But next is for him to resign as Senate President because by all conventions all over the world the majority party produces the leadership; Senate President, the majority leader and others,” he said.

“Again, let him be gentleman enough and resign as Senate President.

“If he doesn’t (resign) we will never have peace in that Senate because it is absolutely clear that APC has majority to produce the leadership.”

Meanwhile, former senate leader, Senator Mohammed Ndume said Saraki’s defection did not come as a surprise.

“Saraki’s defection was long expected. It is not new and it is not a big deal.

“His movement will not affect the fortune of the President, lawmakers and any politician for that matter. Our fortunes is in the hands of God and not man,” he said.

Recall that before Saraki officially announced his defection, Ndume had said “If he announces his resignation from APC or his defection, he loses the Senate President’s seat automatically.

“If Saraki defects to the PDP, he is still our colleague in the Senate, but he cannot remain the Senate President. That cannot work. But he will be a senator like me. The same thing applies to Dogara.

“You cannot participate in PDP primaries while you remain in APC; it is not possible and you can’t remain in PDP and go and participate in APC primaries. Even the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines do not allow you to do that. You have to move to a certain party before a certain period and the period is usually before the primaries.”

On its own part, the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC said Saraki flouted the laws of the party with his activities as senate president, asking him to respond to the allegations or face sanctions.

Meanwhile, there have been further speculations that the APC plans to impeach Saraki on the floor of the senate by buying over other senators as the constitution states that two-thirds of the senators must agree on the impeachment of Senate President.

Other sources have alleged that the APC might distract the senate president with a court case.

“He can be taken to the court as the APC is alleging that the party was not factionalised, and he had no business defecting to another party,” a source said.

The Whistler however, reports that a supposed faction, the Reformed APC had broken out of the APC few months ago.

Although the APC had insisted that it was in one good piece, the PDP had always referred to Adams Oshiomhole as the factional National Chairman of the party.

Saraki has shown that he is a survivor and has survived the many plots of the APC to frustrate his time as senate president.

Recall that the federal government had taken him to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, where he was accused of false declaration of asset while he was governor of Kwara state.

Hoping to further uproot him, Saraki was accused of an alleged involvement in the Offa robbery incident which left scores of Nigerians dead and many others injured.

Removing him from office may turn out to be a tall order because Saraki may also get the backing of PDP governors, especially that of his state. That would make available to him unlimited resources to keep himself as senate president