Buhari in secret meeting with Lawan group

Firstclass newsline gathered that president Muhammadu Buhari on Friday
night met with the Senate Unity Forum led by Senator Ahmad Lawan.
Firstclass newsline learnt that during the meeting, which was held at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari insisted on party supremacy and
supported steps taken so far by the leadership of the All Progressives
Congress on the National Assembly crisis.
The APC, had before the National Assembly leadership election,
endorsed Lawan as its sole candidate for the senate presidency, but
Senator Bukola Saraki defied the party to emerge as the senate
president.
The party had also on Wednesday wrote the Senate President and
submitted names of its candidates for the senate principal offices.
In the letter, it named Lawan as its choice for the majority leader;
Prof. Sola Adeyeye as the chief whip; George Akume as deputy majority
leader; and Abu Ibrahim as deputy chief whip.
But on Thursday Saraki read nominations by the APC zonal caucuses for
the positions. The North-East caucus of the party nominated Senator
Ali Ndume as the Majority Leader; while the North-West put forward,
Bala Na'Allah as the deputy majority leader.
The South-South caucus adopted Francis Alimikhena as the deputy chief.
In his reply on Thursday to the APC National Chairman, Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun, the Senate President explained why he could not abide
by the party's directive on the offices.
"Whilst one is strongly persuaded to toe the party line and act in
accordance with the suggested party position, regrettably, clear
provisions of our extant rules and standard parliamentary convention
have not given me that leeway to act otherwise. Therefore, my hands
are tied in the circumstances and I seek your understanding in this
regard," he had said.
A senator, who was among the team that met with Buhari in company with
Lawan, told one of our correspondents on conditions of anonymity, that
the president assured them that he would always align with the party's
position on the issue of the National Assembly election.
The senator said, "Yes, we met with the president and it was a
fruitful one, going forward. We had the assurances of Mr. President
that he is fully behind the position of the APC leadership on the
National Assembly election.
"We are currently on recess but I am sure that when we resume,
Nigerians will begin to see the effect of the meeting. I won't say
more than that. "
Firstclass newsline learnt that the plan was for the President to meet
as many of the various groups that had emerged in the National
Assembly.
A top member of the party, who confided in a source, said, "Yes. The
President met with Senator Lawan and some APC senators. The plan is
for him to also meet House of Representatives members from the party
too.
Firstclassnewsline.net