APC Senators Kick Against Saraki’s Removal, Rebuff Oshiomhole

Agency ReporterAugust 28, 2018

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Indications have emerged that the plot by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has hit a brick wall as majority of the party’s senators have distanced themselves from the impeachment move.

Comrade Oshiomhole has been leading the campaign for the sack of Senator Saraki following his defection to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The move against Saraki got to a head about two weeks ago when hooded operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS laid a siege on the National Assembly which prompted the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo to sack the Director General of the DSS, Lawal Daura.

Nigerian Pilot gathered from very dependable sources close to APC senators that majority of the party’s senators are no longer on same page with Comrade Oshiomhole over the plot to remove Saraki.

According to our sources, in spite of monetary inducements and promises of automatic tickets, only about eight APC Senators out of over 50 are in support of the removal of the Senate President.

Some of the anti-Saraki senators include Abdullahi Adamu, Ali Ndume, George Akume and Ovie Omo-Agege.

It was gathered that over the years most of the senators, especially former governors, developed close relationship with Saraki beyond the chambers of the National Assembly. This relationship and close rapport cut across partisan party lines.

Senator Saraki’s management of the Senate since he took over in June 2015 is also working in his favour as he was said to have “carried along over 90 percent of the senators” irrespective of party affiliation.

Even Senator Shehu Sani who declined to defect with Saraki despite his strained relationship with Governor Nasir El-Rufai is said to be against the removal of Saraki saying “he has not done anything to warrant his removal.”

Some APC governors are also said to be working behind the scene to ensure senators from their states queue behind Saraki.

The APC governors are said to be uncomfortable with the “combative, aggressive dictatorial” leadership style of Comrade Oshiomhole.

The governors are of the view that Comrade Oshiomhole has compounded the internal crisis in APC and may lead the party to a woeful outing next year if he is not curtailed.

It was also gathered that APC national chairman is getting strong signals from APC senators that “he is on his own” in his bid to remove Saraki.

The former governor of Edo State is said to be beating silent retreat as failure stares him in the face in his bid to unseat Saraki and has been less vocal about the issue in almost two weeks.

However, Nigerian Pilot also gathered that despite the fact that the Senate President has over 90 percent of the senators behind him, he is not resting on his oars as he has continued to reach out to his colleagues in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.