Posted on: 12:53 Sun, 17 Apr 2016



Hours after the fundamental rights
application by Senate President
Bukola Saraki to stop his trial at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) was
thrown out by a Federal High Court
in Abuja, there were signs that
some of his loyalists within the All
Progressives Congress (APC) may be
retracing their steps.

In fact, some APC senators have
dumped Saraki and are now
supporting moves by the leadership
of the party to build a better caucus
for the party in the National
Assembly. Some others are in
trouble.

Reliable national assembly sources
told The Nation that prior to the
judgment of Justice Abdul Kafarati
last Friday, some frontline
supporters of the embattled Senate
President have resolved to
withdraw their support for Saraki
in his bid to remain in office while
his trial at the CCT lasts.

In the meantime, the National
Chairman of APC, Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun, has ruled out the
possibility of the party losing the
senate presidency to the opposition.

In an interview with PT, he said
“We don’t take anything for
granted. As they are planning, we
are also planning. The situation is
under control.”

He insisted that the party is not
likely to lose the position to the
opposition, but noted that should
this happen, it will have to be the
‘price’ for the desired ‘change’.

It was also learnt that some
members of the Senate President’s
camp in the national assembly are
now of the view that the incessant
face-off between the legislature
and the presidency allegedly being
generated by Saraki’s trial at the
CCT, is needless and avoidable.

“Hence, some of them are ready to
support a change in the leadership
of the senate to save the ruling
party from further crises and at the
same time represent the yearnings
of their constituents for good
governance by ensuring strict
adherence to the provisions of the
laws of the country,” our source, a
Senator from Lagos State, said.

“Mr. Senate President is currently
facing charges that borders on false
declaration of assets … The issue
has gone beyond mere accusations
as he has already gone down in
history as the first serving Senate
President in the country to be
docked in a competent court.

“Sadly, one recalls that there is a
way these things have been
handled in the past to save the
national assembly, and by
extension, the government, from
unnecessary embarrassment. All
former presiding officers of the
National Assembly, who were faced
with similar charges, first resigned
their positions in order to protect
the integrity and sanctity of the
country’s hallowed chambers.”

The senator regrets that what has
been happening in the last few
months “were blatant display of
disregard for the sanctity of the
senate by some misled and
confused senators whose loyalty is
not to the country, but to an
individual or group.”

The senator added, “But one is
happy today, to tell you that things
are changing for better. For one, I
can tell you the APC caucus in the
senate is working towards uniting
all. We are healing the divide
imposed on us by self serving
individuals. We are all returning
our loyalty to the party and the
government.”