Why Presidency Moved Against Saraki Ahead Of nPDP Meeting

Aggrieved members of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected to meet with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, today (Monday) to further chart a way forward.

The group, led by House Speaker Yakubu Dogara, is expected to first meet with Senate President Bukola Saraki, before the scheduled meeting with the vice president.

Last Monday, the nPDP met with Osinbajo behind closed doors inside the vice president’s Aguda residence, at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The nPDP had requested a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari after cataloguing the group’s grievances against the APC administration. Senate President Bukola Saraki led the nPDP delegation.

On nPDP team were, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, former PDP national chairman, Kawu Baraje, Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara State, Rabiu Kwakwanso, former Adamawa state governor, Murtala Nyako, Barnabas Gemade, Danjuma Goje and some members of the House of Representatives.

However, there seem to be a twist of events after last Monday’s meeting following Saraki’s summon by the Nigerian Police over his alleged links with the Offa bank robbery suspects arrested by the police.

THE WHISTLER recalls that the police on Sunday asked Mr Saraki to make himself available at their headquarters in Abuja to answer to allegations leveled against him by some of the bank robbery suspects in their custody.

The Force PRO, Mr Jimoh Moshood, said during a press briefing yesterday, that the gang leader of the perpetrators of the deadly Offa bank robbery allegedly confessed to having relations with the Senate President.

Following Saraki’s summon, the Department of State Services reportedly withdrew some of its operatives attached to the Senate President and those attached to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

Also, President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly gave the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, the go-ahead to arrest Saraki, if found culpable in the investigation.

Sources told THE WHITSLER that the essence of the investigation is to ensure the nPDP negotiate with the federal government from a point of weakness.

Recall that the nPDP had threatened to pull out of the APC if ruling party fails to address their complaints of marginalisation.

Also recall that after the meeting with Osinbajo last Monday, the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the APC, Sen. Lawali Shuaibu, who was part of the federal government delegation, denied reports that the nPDP had demanded to stop Saraki’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Following the development described by the Senate President as “witch-hunt”, other members of the nPDP may be forced to leave the APC, as a means of not being investigated or framed.