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Renovation Of Presidential Office Keeps Buhari Away 2 Weeks After Inauguration

Villa renovation 1

The Presidential office at the Aso Villa, Abuja, the seat of power is still undergoing renovation, thus keeping President Muhamadu Buhari away, two weeks after he was inaugurated as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. [myad]

There’ll Be No Crisis Amongst APC Members In National Assembly, Oyegun Assures

APC national chairman, Oyegun
APC national chairman, Oyegun

National chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun has given an assurance that the crisis festerin at the 8th Senate as a result of the controversial election of Seantor Bukola Sraki as Senate President would not last long.
“There will be no crisis I want to give you that assurance. We are very conscious of the fact that the national assembly is the separate arm of government and the constitution provides that they are the ones responsible for electing their own officers. All we have to do is provide for them a conducive environment of doing just that.”
Oyegun was responding to questions from newsmen at the State House today, shortly after he led members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to congratulate the President on his electoral victory, which he said they delayed such visit because they wanted the President to be properly inaugurated.
Chief Oyegun said that the party had pledge its loyalty and determination to work with the President “through thick and thin. That he can always depend on the party that he can use as a platform to become president of this great nation.”
He acknowledged that expectations of Nigerians are extremely ‎high and that the public expects a totally new dawn, adding: “on that score, we told him we are with him. Mr. President, you will succeed because the entire party will be galvanised as one man behind you, to ensure that days into this presidency that Nigerians will indeed see that things are changing. All the problems cannot be solved in one day that you will flick to bring that kind of eventuality. But what Nigerians want is to be sure that we are getting it right and that we are on the proper path towards answering their long frustration towards ameliorating their condition and that is what they will get.”
On how long should Nigerians wait for the ministerial list to be made known, the APC chairman said that the President is committed to carrying the party along in everything that he does, adding that the party is very grateful for that.
“He has always been like that, he has put the party in the front burner in all the things he does at all times and he has continued to do that.”
On the security issues, Chief Oyegun said that Boko Haram insurgents are trying to test the President’s resolve, saying: “I have a feeling they will be in for surprises.”
He said that the first priority of President Buhari is to protect the lives of Nigeria for which he was elected
There is nothing like lives, he was elected to protect Nigerian lives ‎and that is even his first priority.  [myad]

Saraki Presides Over Turmoil Senate, As Accusations And Counter-Accusations Fly

Saraki as Senate President
The new Senate President, Bukola Saraki presided over the first Plenary session of the Senate today, but was characterized by accusations and counter-accusations between Saraki and Senator Ahmed Lawan groups. Lawan’s group is under the aegis of “Unity Forum” and is being led by Barnabas Gemade (APC Benue North East).
Senator Saraki was elected Senate President on Tuesday by 57 Senators at the time 51 other Senators loyal to Lawan were at the International Conference Centre, Abuja for an expected peace meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
But at the plenary session today, members of the Gemade-led “Unity Forum” walked out of the chamber in protest, after their protests were ruled out of order by Saraki.
The group, whose members later spoke to newsmen, insisted that the election of Saraki was illegitimate.
Gemade particularly blamed Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, for participating in the process, accusing him of disobeying the instruction of President Buhari to delay the inauguration of the 8th Assembly to enable him meet the APC lawmakers-elect.
He said the refusal of the Clerk to differ to the President denied his group who attended the meeting, their right to nominate the candidate of their choice.
Gemade said the insinuations that senators absent during the election boycotted the inauguration was unfounded, stressing that they had, as loyal party members, gone to heed the call of the President.
“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President.
“Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any persons of group.
”The Clerk of the National Assembly knowing full well that the quorum for election had not been met, went ahead to conduct the election that shut the door to 51 other senators. We like to make it very clear that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the letter for the Proclamation.
“The Clerk is the one that received the correspondence of Mr. President that there must be a slight delay in order to enable him speak with senators of the APC before they commence the process.
“In the House of Representatives, they were able to catch up because their own happened after the Senate,” he noted.
Gemade further noted that although a quorum was formed for the inauguration of the senate, quorum was not formed for electing principal officers, arguing that the two-third majority applied to impeachment should apply to election.
He said that every eligible senator must be present when nomination is made and closed and if all eligible senators were not present then a quorum had not been formed.
The day’s business with Saraki swearing in Lawan, and 27 others who were absent from Tuesday’s inauguration of the Eighth National Assembly.
As the Senators-elect were being sworn in, there was the tradition of shaking hands with the President.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu, one of those sworn in, however refused to shake hands with Saraki who had extended his hand to her just as he did to others.
Trouble started when, Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC-Zamfara), raised a point of order citing Orders 15 and 43 of the Senate Rules, stressing that his rights and privileges had been breached by their exclusion from the election and inauguration of the presiding officers of the Senate.
“Mr. President, I come under Orders 15 and 43 on matters of privileges. Yesterday, the 9th of June 2015 was for the inauguration of the Eighth National Assembly and at the same time, a meeting with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who is the head of government and leader of APC.
“I and all the members of APC were summoned to the meeting by Mr. President through our party but while I and a lot of other members of this Senate on the platform of APC were attending the meeting, this Senate went ahead to commence the process of inauguration, thereby infringing on my right and privileges as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria and thereby by disenfranchising me and my colleagues from participating in the election of the presiding officers of this Senate. Our privileges were, therefore, breached.
“More reasons for this Order Mr. President, is the news item that the Senate was inaugurated with 57 members and 51 senators-elect absent. The word ‘absent’ there portrayed me and many of my colleagues as irresponsible members of this hallowed chamber; to absent ourselves from an event that was well announced, well publicised that everybody was expected to attend with his spouse and well wishes.
“That singular Act also caused an unwarranted embarrassment to me and a lot of other members here, our families that felt embarrassed that we were absent from the inauguration of this National Assembly.
“Mr. President, on Order 43, I want to put on record that after being sworn in today, I was handed the Senate Standing Order of 2015 as amended. Mr. President, I want to say that as an active member of the Seventh National Assembly I cannot recall when the Senate Standing Orders were amended or put before this hallowed chambers for any amendment or corrections. I think this Act was perpetrated and there should be full investigation into what happened and where this document emanated from.”
He was however ruled out of order.
Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (APC-Gombe), on his part, raised a point on the constitutional provision 64 sub-section 3, stressing that the President is empowered to order for the proclamation of this Senate and what happened on Tuesday was in compliance with that constitutional provision.
“Not only that, the Clerk of the National Assembly received a letter written and signed by Mr. President himself to that effect.
“So for anybody to say that this hallowed chamber should ignore that constitutional provision, which was backed up by a letter from Mr. President, I think is not proper; it is wrong for any person to say that we should disobey the constitution of the country and disobey Mr. President. I want to say that whoever decided to go for a meeting elsewhere is on his own.”
Saraki welcomed his submission as correct, saying: “You came under the constitutional provision which is in line with what is in the constitution, so the Order is sustained.”
Shortly after the Senate had adjourned till June 23, 2015, another group of senators loyal to Saraki, known as the “Like Minds” led by Senator Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West), dispelled claims of the Unity Forum, saying President Buhari would not fix two meetings at the same time.
“The President in his constitutional duty sent a Proclamation letter to the National Assembly. In that Proclamation letter, he stated categorically that the proclamation of the 8th Senate will be done at 10a.m on the 9th of June, 2015.
“How can Mr. President that we know in one hand send a letter of Proclamation to the National Assembly and in the other hand call for a meeting at the International Conference Centre? If Mr. President wants to meet legislators, the Defence House is there, the Villa is there, the banquet Hall is there; why International Conference Centre?
“However, did Mr. President eventually attend to anybody at International Conference Centre? Capital No! ” Melaye said.
Melaye clarified that they were still loyal party members and had refused to attend the meeting as they were kept waiting for hours un-end for a supposed meeting with the Vice President on Monday.
“The Buhari that we know cannot and will not give two contrary opinions, especially one that is against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The letter of Proclamation was written, duly signed, time stated, date stated, he will not do otherwise. It is not true that we disrespected the President and if the President wants to do that, he would have called. He had the powers to call the Clerk of the National Assembly to say, “please postpone to 12 p.m. I want to meet senators at 9a.m.”
“We in the Like Mind Group are ready to have one united Senate,” he said. [myad]

How We Can Quickly Defeat Boko Haram, Buhari Suggests To 5 Neighbouring Countries

Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari
Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has suggested to his fellow Presidents from four Nigeria’s neighbouring countries the need to cut off Boko Haram from sources of raising funds and arms to fight, saying that this is one of the ways to quickly defeat the sect.
The President, who spoke today when he welcomed the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Benin today at an extraordinary Summit in Abuja, Nigeria, said that the fight against Boko Haram should be directed on all fronts,
He said that it must start “from limiting their capacity to access funds and weapons. We must, therefore, strengthen our cross border patrols and increase our capacity to gather and share intelligence in this regard.”
President Buhari asked his colleagues to immediately take all necessary steps to reinvigorate the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU).
The full text of his welcome address goes thus:
I am most honoured to welcome Your Excellencies on behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this Extra Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin. I wish to convey my personal appreciation and that of the people of Nigeria, for honoring the invitation to this meeting, which was convened at very short notice.
Our meeting today is premised on the common resolve and commitment of Member States of the LCBC & Benin to maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents until they are completely defeated. It is also borne out of the urgency to mitigate the suffering that has been imposed on our civilian population by the nefarious activities of the insurgents and terrorists.
Our meeting today provides us an excellent opportunity to finalize the instruments for the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), in order to give life to our joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents.
Your Excellencies,
You will recall that in my inaugural address on 29th May, 2015, I affirmed that I will consult regularly with Heads of Government of our immediate neighbourhood and I had within four 4 days of my assumption of duty as President, embarked on a thank you visit to the Presidents of Niger and Chad. This important assignment was, however, interrupted because I had to honour the invitation extended to me by the G7 member states to attend their meeting in Germany. I intend to continue with my thank you visit to the remaining LCBC Member States very shortly.
It will certainly be remiss of me not to take advantage of Your Excellencies presence to express the gratitude of the Federal Government and people of Nigeria to your countries for the unwavering support in the campaign against the Boko haram insurgents. We deeply regret the loss of gallant soldiers who have fallen in the battle, as well as numerous civilians who have died in the cruel hands of the insurgents. Nigeria will forever cherish the memories of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in order that we may be free from the strangle hold of purveyors of hate and extremism. Please accept, Your Excellencies, the appreciation of a grateful nation.
Your Excellencies,
Nothing has emphasized our common humanity and destinies more than the dastardly crimes against our people by the insurgents, who have maimed and raped our women and children and held our nations in a vicious strangle hold. Our campaign against insurgency must therefore, be directed on all fronts, starting from limiting their capacity to access funds and weapons. We must, therefore, strengthen our cross border patrols and increase our capacity to gather and share intelligence. In this regard, I urge that all necessary steps be immediately taken to reinvigorate the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU).
Your Excellencies,
Our Ministers of Defence have proposed modalities for the operations of the MNJTF. I want to commend them for the painstaking effort and the outcomes of their deliberations, which they have presented to us for our consideration and approval.
While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to a rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency. Such a process will undermine, even if it is not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.
I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for Your Excellencies consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort. This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.
Your Excellencies,
Permit me, at this juncture, to recall that Nigeria has already pledged the sum of one hundred million ($100,000,000) USD for the smooth take off of the MNJTF. I hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith with this promise.
Notwithstanding this pledge by my government, funding still remains a major issue of this campaign. I had raised this issue at my meeting with the G7 leaders, while I am encouraged by their support, I also urge you to garner the support of your international friends and partners to sustain this campaign. Our campaign against Boko Haram must be seen within the wider context of the global war against terror. Terrorism has no frontiers and they must, because of the great implication for regional and global peace and security, be defeated.
In conclusion, I want to place on record and express my profound gratitude to Your Excellencies, and to the governments and peoples of the Member States of the LCBC and Benin for your unrelenting support in our campaign against insurgency and terrorism. Let me, once again, convey the condolences of the Nigerian people to the families of our fallen war heroes who have been left to mourn their loved ones. We fervently pray that this war will soon come to an end and that the much needed peace and security and progress will be ushered into our sub region.
I thank you for honouring Nigeria with your august presence and wish us very fruitful deliberation. I am confident that our deliberation will be undertaken against the backdrop of our common resolve to defeat insurgency and also the historic, fraternal, ethnic ties that unite and bind us together.
Thank you. [myad]

Saraki’s Ambition Pre-Empted Buhari’s Planned Peace Meeting With APC National Assembly Members-Elect – Garba Shehu

APC MEDIA BRIEFING
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu has confirmed that the President actually requested to have a peace meeting with all the National Assembly members-elect on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the morning of the day of their inauguration, but that the sudden election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President stopped the President from going ahead with such meeting.
According to him, President Buhari communicated his intention to hold the peace meeting to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and that Bukola Saraki was fully aware of it, adding that both Saraki and the clerk should have extended respect to Buhari by postponing the inauguration but they failed to do so.
The presidential spokesman who spoke on a programme in the Channels Television, Sunrise Daily yesterday, said that President Buhari did not bother attending the meeting with the 51 APC senators at the International Conference Centre because Saraki had emerged Senate President before the meeting could even hold.
“President Buhari had planned to be there (at the meeting) to show support for the party but once the process had begun, the point had been lost.
“Senator Saraki directly or indirectly and the clerk of the National Assembly were reached directly or indirectly and they would have shown that respect to Mr. President, but the process went ahead. And that is it.
“The clerk and Senator Saraki, the key characters in all of these, had sufficient information directly or indirectly coming to them that the President would be meeting the party members. The assumption would have been that every loyal and committed party member would have presented himmself to the party and to the
President. That did not happen yesterday (Tuesday).”
Garba Shehu said Saraki might still have emerged the Senate President but the inauguration of the Senate should have been delayed out of respect for the President, adding that the APC senators showed respect for the President by showing up for the meeting and did not err by doing so.
“They chose to be absent. They chose to respect their party and the President. Fifty APC senators decided to answer the call of the party and the President and were present at this meeting. It was not as if it was a secret meeting.”
Garba Shehu denied reports that Buhari lured the 51 senators to the ICC so that Saraki could emerge the Senate President.
He said that the meeting was not secret as it had been announced by the party the previous day.
“The party had begun a process and concluded it and some of these actors were part of that process. They knew what had happened. There was a shadow election of some sort. It is clear that there was nothing accidental in all of these things that happened. What I mean is that the APC, as a party, had begun a process for choosing leaders. There was a shadow election in which leaders were chosen on the platform of the political party and it
was complete. There was no doubt about it.” [myad]

Atiku Appoints Paul Ibe As Head Of His Media Team, Replaces Garba Shehu

Paul Ibe
Paul Ibe

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has appointed a senior Journalist, who had once worked as editor with Thisday newspapers, Mazi Paul Ibe, as head of his media office and his spokesman in place of Mallam Garba Shehu, who was appointed last week, by President Muhammadu Buhari, as his Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity.
The appointment of Mazi Paul Ibe was contained in a statement he issued today in Abuja, in which the former Vice President also solicited the support of Nigerians for the administration of President Buhari.
Ibe, who had worked alongside Shehu as Deputy Director on media and publicity in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, was until his appointment, Deputy Head of the Atiku Media Office.
Another senior journalist and former Editor of the Compass newspaper, Alhaji Olusola Sanni, was appointed to deputise for Mazi Ibe in the Atiku media office.
According to the statement, Atiku restated his commitment to the President Buhari government and enjoined Nigerians to also support him in the arduous task of turning Nigeria around to work for all.
“I wish to restate the commitment I gave even long before the election of President Buhari to back him to the hilt. I urge all Nigerians to give their unalloyed support to him, so that he can better deliver on the mandate of making Nigeria work for all Nigerians.” [myad]

Tougher Days Ahead For Boko Haram As 5 Neighbouring Heads Of Government Take Decisive Measures, Vote $30 million Additional Funds

President Muhammadu Buhari, Meeting with heads states of Multi-national Forces
President Muhammadu Buhari, Meeting with heads of government of Multi-national Joint task Force

Members of the deadly Boko Haram are facing a tougher challenges from five neighbouring African countries, operating under the canopy of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) who have resolved today, to intensify more measures towards wiping them off the map, even as they approved the funding of the sum of$30 Million for the installation and equipping of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Headquarters.
At a one-day extraordinary Summit held today at the Presidential Conference Lodge of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Benin also approved the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Strategic and Operational and related documents of the MNJTF for the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.
Those who attended the crucial meeting, which was hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigerian and chaired by President of Niger Republic, Issoufou Mahamadou who is the current Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of LCBC member countries, were President of the Republic, Head of State of Chad, Idriss Deby itno, President of the Republic, Head of State of Cameroon, Paul Biya (represented by that country’s Defence Minister, Mr. Mebe Ngo’o Edgard Alain) and President of the Republic, Head of State of Benin, Dr. Yayi Boni.
In the final communique issued after a day-long Summit, the Heads of Government also approved the immediate deployment of the MNJTF Head Quarter at N’Djamena (Chad) by implementing its human, logistic and financial requirements.
They equally approved the deployment of the national contingents to the MNJTF under the operational command of the MNJTF Commander assisted by his Joint Headquarters by 30th  July 2015.
Part of the communique goes thus: Deliberations focused on ‘The Security Situation in the Lake Chad Basin, the Immediate Operationalization of the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Adoption of Emergency Development Plan’ were preceded by a preparatory meeting of the Ministers of Defence, the Chiefs of Defence Staff and Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of the LCBC member States and Benin.
In the course of their deliberation, the Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin Republic acknowledged with satisfaction the success recorded on military operations jointly conducted in the field by the coalition of the troops from Cameroun, Niger, Nigeria and Chad which have significantly broken down military capability of Boko Haram terrorist group. However, they agreed on the need to keep on this drive marked by solidarity in action by taking decisive measures in order to totally curb Boko Haram insurgency.
The Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin further agreed on the need to support military operations with an emergency development plan in favour of vulnerable populations in the region in order to fight against the root causes of insecurity relating to poverty.
At the end of their deliberations, the Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin Republic took the following decisions:
Approved the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Strategic and Operational and related documents of the MNJTF for the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.
Approved the immediate deployment of the MNJTF HQ at N’Djamena (Chad) by implementing its human, logistic and financial requirements;
Approved the deployment of the national contingents to the MNJTF under the operational command of the MNJTF Commander assisted by his Joint Headquarters by 30th  July 2015.
Approved the funding of the sum of Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000.000) USD for the installation and equipping of the MNJTF HQ.
Approved the establishment of the Executive Secretariat as the Headquarters of the Mission and the Executive Secretary of LCBC being the Head of Mission.
Approved the nomination of the 3 key post of responsibility of the MNJTF HQs as follows:
i.Force Commander:  Nigeria (Until the end of the mission)
ii.Deputy Force Commander: Cameroun (Rotational  every 12 Months)
iii. Chief of Staff: Tchad (Rotational every 12 months)
g). Requests the African Union’s support to the MNJTF in its operations, logistics and general mission support; by mobilizing financial support.
h. Resolved to seek the support of strategic partners, notably European Union, France, United Kingdom and United States of America in favour of the MNJTF.
i).Requests the President of the UN Security Council to make a declarative statement in support of MNJTF Operations against the Boko Haram terrorist group.
j) Adopted the Emergency Plan for Development in the Lake Chad Basin.
At the end of their deliberations which were conducted amid a warm and brotherly atmosphere, the Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin Republic conveyed to their Brother, H.E.M. ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU, President of the Republic of Niger and Current Chairman of the LCBC Summit, heartfelt gratitude for calling this important Summit; they also conveyed to H.E.MUHAMMADU BUHARI GCFR profound appreciation for hosting the Summit and requested him to transmit to the Government and good people of Nigeria, their deep gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to them and their delegations. [myad]

We All Belong To Party Of The Children Of God, Vice President Osinbajo Says

Nigeria Vice-President , Yemi Osinbajo
Nigeria Vice-President , Yemi Osinbajo

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said that no matter the political party Nigerians belong to, “the most important thing is that we belong to the party of the children of God and as such, the Church owe the country its prayers.”
The Vice President therefore called on Nigerians to continue to pray for the country and the new administration.
Osinbajo who spoke today at a thanksgiving service organized in his honour by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Region 10, Abuja, said: “most important part of our lives is that we are children of God. There is no place that you cannot occupy.”  Referring to his position as one of the senior pastors in the Church, he said that God chooses to honour us in various ways and chooses to give us different responsibilities.
He said that the responsibility he has is not for him alone but a responsibility of the Church of God as well, adding that it is by the grace of God.
The Vice President called on Nigerians and the Church to pray which he said is so important now.
Earlier, the representative of Pastor E. A. Adeboye who is the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Kalejayi, said the theme for the special thanksgiving service was “The Power of Thanksgiving.”
He said the Church thank God for the Vice President whom He has honoured, stressing that thanksgiving is spiritual sacrifice. According to him, God’s will and divine expectation had provoked divine multiplication.
“The ungrateful are great fools,” he explained, stressing that by giving thanks to God for what He has done the lost glory of Nigeria will be restored and people will know the country for great things.
Prayers were offered for the Vice President and his family, Nigeria as a nation and President Muhammadu Buhari. [myad]

How Buhari Resisted Pressure To Interfere In National Assembly’s Election– Saraki

saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has revealed how President Muhammadu Buhari resisted pressure mounted on him to interfere in the National Assembly on who become Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker.

The Senate President therefore, commended  President Buhari for remaining steadfast in his commitment to the principle of non-interference in National Assembly politics, even in the face of great pressure on him to act otherwise.

In a statement today, Saraki described the President’s reaction to his election as Senate President and that of Dogara as Speaker of the Reps as “a great mark of leadership and a demonstration of  his commitment to democracy. It shows that Mr. President is a man of great conviction who, in his own words, belongs to everyone and to no one.”

The statement which was issued by his media office by Bankole Omishore, quoted the Senate President as describing insinuations that he is planning to defect to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as “absurd and laughable.”

“It is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries, who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”

He advised those making such desperate allegations to remember that he willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power, asking: “Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections?”

Senator Saraki said that he remained committed and loyal to the All Progressives Congress, pledging to contribute his quota to building the party and helping it to deliver its promise of change to Nigerians.

He called onl members of the National Assembly to put politicking behind them and settle down for the proper business of legislating.

Saraki expressed his preparedness  to embrace every member of the Senate regardless of their political leanings in the leadership elections just concluded. [myad]

Saraki, Dogara, APC, PDP And Buhari Presidency, By Peter Claver

Saraki and Dogara
The events of Wednesday, June 9th when a faction of the National Assembly made up mainly of all PDP members connived with a handful of rebellious APC members ‘elected’ Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate and one of their own, Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President should inform all of us that there is still an unfinished business to totally undo the atrocious brigandage the PDP employed to demolish Nigeria in sixteen years of irresponsible leadership. The PDP henchmen which were fully in concert, as this coup happened, were seen back slapping themselves for a job well done, they rubbed the whole thing in by appointing the former Senate President, David Mark as Senate Leader! I am not opining on the illegality or legality of that action, as lawyers will have enough space marshalling these out. I am rather wondering what really was  going on in the minds of the PDP senators, their governors and party henchmen as they perpetrated that coup. So they think, APC will thank them and go back to sleep or they were deliberately scripting the texts of what should be a tumultuous relationship between the legislature and the executive and the party in the coming dispensation?
Get me right, if the PDP successfully elected their ilk or their members in a fully and dully constituted Senate, as leaders of the legislature, there is nothing wrong with it. If they outwitted the majority APC in a contest of who becomes the Senate President as well as other offices or even majority leader, there is nothing wrong with it so long as it is with the acquiescence of the members of APC. This is why I don’t frown much on what happened in the National Assembly, except my feeling that the party must crack down hard on the kind of treachery that produced both results. it is foolhardy for those that were throwing party on the floor of the senate and congratulating and recongratulating themselves for that legislative coup to think they will walk away with the proceeds of robbery, as that is what the so-called election of Saraki, Ekweremadu and Mark amounts to. So are these expecting the leadership and members of the APC to congratulate them for a job well done and then go to sleep? Do they expect the leadership of the APC to sulk away and allow them their booty? That is taking self foolery to an all time high and the PDP and its cahoots will find out very soon that they have rejoiced rather prematurely. Unlike Tambuwal, they have given the APC a malleable leadership that is far different from the self assertive leadership Tambuwal provided.
The APC has issued a terse statement rejecting what happened on the floor of the senate on Wednesday and that sufficiently describes the tone of what to expect in the coming days. What will happen will only lead to one route; weakening the National Assembly and granting the executive enough room to enforce its wishes and we shall see how this pans out. I even see an asphyxiation of the National assembly and this will in the long run, hit back on the PDP that is reveling today of its fortunes. The APC must go farther and strike the iron while it is hot. At this stage, the party needs to come out hard to enforce party discipline and it is on very good stead to do this. This is a privilege the PDP never had during the Tambuwal case so the APC must not shirk away from rightly punishing those that tagged along a party that was just rejected by Nigerians, whose members in the National Assembly widely enjoy dubious commission, to rubbish the APC. For whatever it is worth, the APC has the capacity to do these and this is where Saraki and PDP’s Pyrrhic victory will end. With 51 members rightly feeling the Senate leadership is not theirs, it is certain that the Senate under Saraki will be a lame duck, ditto for the House of Representatives under Dogara.
For some who have tried to compare the happenings with what happened when Tambuwal was elected Speaker, they clearly miss the point. Tambuwal emerged Speaker against a weakening and drooping PDP facing mass angst and discontent while APC is just coming to power, blazing a high moral ground that finds expression in the impeccable integrity of its President, Muhammadu Buhari. Again, Tambuwal was backed by tight, powerful blocks while Saraki is hewn by a loose coalition of a disappearing political cabal that sees his emergence as ways of reaching back at its conquistadors, no matter the bareness of the payback.
Again, Tambuwal faced a party leadership in decay while Saraki has a behemoth to face in his bid to remain as Senate President. Is there any possibility of a Bukola Saraki mobilizing enough guts and force to question the conduct of a Buhari government? I don’t think so, rather, I see a Saraki and Dogara that will exert themselves to the fullest trying to assuage the angst of the APC leadership. It is not possible for a Saraki to stand toe to toe against a livid APC and he cannot wield any coalition that will give him such impetus in an emerging Nigeria. That is a fact so both Saraki and Dogara will be lame ducks, malleable to the fancies and prone to the rages of the APC as long as they warm the leadership of the National Assembly. So to me, the party should, for now,  rein in its rightful anger and let them be with strong reprimand and watch to clamp down when the time is right-and it will be very soon. They are mere dummies that will not give the PDP any known leverage, either in building the party or opposing the policies of the APC, as the PDP felt Tambuwal did. But APC must retrieve the looted Deputy Senate President and Senate Leader from both Ekweremadu and Mark.
Yes, what happened in the House of Representative had a semblance of democratic credulity but what happened in the Senate is a sham. Irrespective of their credibility, legality or otherwise, the party has its own unquestionable rights to enforce discipline and order. It must wield this and fast too. The party should forget the fear of fictionalization; it won’t fly, by any reason. The party should not be afraid of schism because it has quite a lot going for it to forestall such division. It will be better the party operates with the mindset that the National Assembly is PDP by default. That will grant it so much leverage draw the battle line now and to rein in recalcitrant saboteurs who might latch in on the Saraki and Dogara template to gain advantage at the expense of the party. As it is now, PDP is that ‘he that is down needs fear no fall’ moss that feels it gathers no moss pouring sand in APC’s garri. It must not be allowed this fun, as I believe it will gain practically nothing from the National Assembly scheme.
Above all, the party must not shy away to put its bullish political cloak. The president, as good as his decision to stay aloof of the happenings in the National Assembly is,  must not shy away from the fact that he is a leader of the party and must assume that role to enhance party cohesion and see to the free sail of his policies. He is a politician and his interests must be well captured in the affairs of the party and the larger Nigerian polity. He must take charge of party and polity for these are within his mandate. He must state where his interests lie and see them enforced or else he will be led to the paths of failure by those who still sulk over his emergence. The consequence of being aloof in issues like the National Assembly election issue is that he will have his government embarrassed by grudging mandarins in PDP who  are plotting ways to access power again after the horrendous experiences of the past sixteen years and that is a transcript of failure. While their revolt is ‘constitutional,’ the power to discipline them is also constitutional and in this lays the panacea to such other ugly developments in the life of his administration.

Peter Claver Oparah
peterclaver2000@yahoo.com wrote in from Lagos. [myad]

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