Saraki, Lawan groups rejects senate majority leader

Firstclass gathered that all leaders of the All Progressives Congress
again on Monday failed to broker truce between its two rival groups in
the Senate.
The latest peace effort was at the instance of the Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee.
The meeting held at Odigie-Oyegun's private residence in Asokoro,
Abuja on Monday.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, were among the APC lawmakers who
attended the meeting.
Although the meeting was not open to journalists, it was learnt that
it provided the first real opportunity for the leaders of the two
opposing groups to meet face to face since the June 9 National
Assembly leadership elections.
The APC was thrown into a crisis following the emergence of Saraki and
Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives
respectively.
The party had announced Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as its sole
candidates for the two positions.
Saraki was earlier scheduled to meet with the APC leadership two weeks
ago but the meeting was cancelled at the last minute at the instance
of some party leaders.
However, neither Saraki nor the party's preferred candidate for the
position of Senate President, Lawan agreed to sheathe their sword.
The cold war between the two camps worsened within the last two weeks
with both parties insisting on producing the remaining four principal
officers in the Senate.
While Lawan's group with the support of some APC leaders wanted the
party to choose the occupants of the positions, the Saraki camp
maintained that the principal officers must be produced by the various
zonal caucuses in the Senate.
It was gathered that Lawan's argument before Odigie-Oyegun on Monday,
was that members of his group would be disenfranchised if the caucuses
should determine the fate of the four officers.
Saraki on the other hand insisted that he could not afford to have his
rival in such a sensitive position as Senate Leader.
The development forced the meeting to adjourn abruptly thereby
worsening the growing anxiety and tension within the two camps.
As of the time of filing this report, a source learnt that Saraki had
asked the various caucuses to meet at 11pm on Monday to pick their
representatives to fill the four remaining principal officers'
positions.
Firstclass newsline further learnt that while Senator Ali Ndume (
Borno South ) was being favoured as Senate Leader, a former governor
of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani – Yerima, may become the Chief Whip.
However, a member of the Saraki camp told firstclass newsline on
conditions of anonymity that a senator from the South-West, had
intensified lobby to become either the Deputy Senate Leader or the
Deputy Chief Whip.
A source said, "The senate president has asked the various caucuses to
agree on their candidates before 12 midnight and submit the list which
he had said would be announced during plenary tomorrow (Tuesday)."
A leading member of the party, who pleaded for anonymity because of
the sensitivity of the issue, confided in a source that party leaders
tried but failed to get Saraki to accommodate Lawan and his
supporters.
The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Assembly are
expected to announce the composition of other leadership positions
during plenary today (Tuesday).
This is required to prepare grounds for President Muhammadu Buhari to
present his list of ministerial nominees for screening.
When contacted about happenings with respect to the crisis in the
National Assembly, the National Publicity Secretary of the party,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said, "No comment."
Governors on the party's platform were expected to meet in Abuja, on
Monday night but as of 9.10pm there was no sign that the meeting will
hold as inquiries revealed that the Chairman of the Progressives
Governors' Forum, Rochas Okorocha, had yet to arrive Abuja from
Owerri.
Firstclassnewsline.net