For President Muhammadu Buhari, the emergence of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member as deputy Senate President in the current dispensation is nothing short of a setback for his administration.
He is irked that some members of his own party, All Progressives Congress (APC), conceded the position to Ike Ekweremadu when the PDP never gave that much all through its 16 years in power between 1999 and last May.

But he is optimistic that the APC will overcome the setback.

President Buhari made his feelings known at a meeting with a delegation of the   Unity Forum at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday night.

The forum is the group of senators backing Dr. Ahmed Lawan, the APC anointed candidate for the Senate Presidency.

Buhari, at the meeting, reportedly pleaded for the understanding of APC Senators as the party explores reconciliation options.

However, the majority of the APC governors and state chairmen of the party are insisting that Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara comply with the party’s directive on the choice of principal officers of the National Assembly.

The APC governors and state chairmen are encouraging the leadership of the party to enforce discipline to prevent it from collapsing.

Some party leaders, it was gathered, have proposed a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, as chairman of the APC Disciplinary Committee to look into allegations of anti-party activities against some members.

President Buhari at the Friday meeting was said to have said there was no reason for the party to be divided over who heads the National Assembly.
“The President gave us audience and admitted that the development in the Senate was a setback but he expressed confidence that APC will overcome it,” a source at the meeting said.

“He said there was no basis for the split among APC Senators which led to the concession of the Office of Deputy President of the Senate to the PDP. He said PDP did not give the opposition such an opportunity in its 16 years in power.

“Buhari told Lawan and others not to take the law into their hands as the leaders of the party explore reconciliation options. He said peace and the survival of the nation’s democracy should be paramount more than any other thing.”

Asked to assess the President’s mood at the session, the source added: “He was not happy about the development in the Senate but he was hopeful that the situation is redeemable if some leaders can sacrifice their ambitions for the survival of APC and his administration.”

Another source said: “The session was cordial and reassuring. The President interacted with us individually and even had time to crack jokes with us before we receded into the business of the day.

“As for the Lawan group, it was Senator Barnabas Gemade who spoke on behalf of the 51 aggrieved Senators.

“Gemade said the Unity Forum is after justice since its members have demonstrated their faith in APC leadership and having been loyal to the party to a fault.

“Gemade restated the six demands of the group and the need to prevail on Saraki and Dogara to abide by the directive of the party on the nominees for principal offices in the Senate and House of Representatives.”

The source quoted Gemade as saying: “When the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo called a meeting to address the looming challenge, it was only our group that responded; we were the only group which participated in the party’s straw poll and even on June 9, we deferred to the party’s invitation to a meeting at the International Conference Centre.

“Before anybody knew it, the Like Minds went for the inauguration of the Senate and elected Saraki.

“We have proved our unflinching loyalty to the party. This is the time for the party to assert itself and enforce discipline or else members will continue to take the leadership of the party for granted.”

Ahead of the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC on Tuesday, there were indications last night that the governors elected on the platform of the party and state chairmen are pushing for Dr. Saraki and Hon. Dogara to comply with the party’s directive on the choice of principal officers of the National Assembly.

They said they will no longer tolerate the defiance of the party by the two leaders.
A member of the NWC said: “We are expecting a stormy session on Tuesday. Saraki and Dogara will have to choose between loyalty to the party or self-serving agenda.

“The only condition for moving forward is for these leaders to accept the list sent to them by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

Those  recommended by the APC for Senate positions are Sen. Ahmed  Lawan(Majority Leader)—North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye( Chief Whip)—South-West; Sen. George Akume( Deputy Majority Leader)—North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim(Deputy Chief Whip)—North-West.
The party’s list for the 8th House of Representatives  is as follows:  Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila( House Leader)——South-West; Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa( Deputy House Leader)—North-West; Hon. M. T. Monguno( Chief Whip)—North-East; and Hon. Pally Iriase( Deputy Chief Whip)—South-South.
It was gathered that if Saraki and Dogara refused to respect the party’s list, APC may resort to sanctions.
It was learnt that some forces in the party are pushing for the appointment of a former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh as the head of the party’s Disciplinary Committee.

A top member of the party said: “There is no doubt that Ogbeh is well grounded in party politics and he is a disciplinarian.  We are thinking of him to assist in unraveling the anti-party activities in the Senate and the House.”

http://news2.onlinenigeria.com/news/422025-buhari-ekweremadu-as-saraki%E2%80%99s-deputy-unacceptable.html

Cc: lalasticlala, obinoscopy

sai baba

I BELONG TO NOBODY AND I BELONG TO EVERYBODY

This would most likely make front page. No picture of him this time around?

For me, it's completely unacceptable, not because I have any issue with Ekweremmadu, but because PDP poses a stumbling block to Buhari's success as president, just as a way of massaging their ego. To the best of my knowledge PDP meant no good for Nigerians and still means no good for Nigerians, and for whatever purpose it serves, they will try to make sure this government fails especially by frustrating passage of bills that will accelerate development and pursuance of Justice and development.

PDP to the best of my knowledge never faced so much parliamentary opposition as GEJ got all the help he needed, having PDP occupying that position is a big distraction to this government and therefore completely unacceptable.

In all this squabbles, i can only see one position for the south-south zone. A mere deputy chief whip. Borrowing from Game of Thrones, ...... 2019 is coming.

What happened on the floor of the house is what exactly Buhari wants. Buhari prefer to work with Saraki and Dogara who are Godfatherless than Lawan/Akume/Gbajabiamala who has Tinubu's hand written all over them.

Buhari can now approach Saraki/Dogara directly without having to pass2ru Tinubu (a Godfather).

I see Buhari covertly whittling down Tinubu's power in the legislature just to have a smooth administration using Atiku/Saraki to do the dirt while he stand neutral (he wasn't neutral) ....... .... Atiku knows Tinubu very well and Saraki has always defeat Tinubu since his political career.

Buhari will pacify Tinubu through the cabinet nonetheless Buhari has absolute control over the cabinet thus if any of Tinubu boys in the cabinet messed up, with one command Buhari will strip such person from office.

This is all to keep Tinubu under proper control because he is the most ambitious Politician in Nigeria...... National Politics is a different ball game from regional Politics.

Ekweremadu is unimpeachable, as it stands!

Imagine someone like Metuh saying it is only right that PDP is given one of the top position in NASS that winners shouldn't take it all. How many times in the 16 years PDP held sway was the opposition given anything close to even the deputy speakership??

Ekweremadu's position is untenable and all within the legal framework of NASS should be done to get his out of there. Saraki goofed big time on this one- just goes to show how desperate he is for power.

omenka:
Imagine someone like Metuh saying it is only right that PDP is given one of the top position in NASS that winners shouldn't take it all. How many times in the 16 years PDP held sway was the opposition given anything close to even the deputy speakership??

Ekweremadu's position is untenable and all within the legal framework of NASS should be done to get his out of there. Saraki goofed big time on this one- just goes to show how desperate he is for power.

HYPOCRISY! And even if PDP was in power for 60years, the party wld still maintain its culture of "winner takes all"

Apc should solve Saraki by severely deal with him and the party would have taken the best route at finding solution. He is a mole that need to be cowed and expunged if needs be.

Daura President SHUT UP and stop talking thrash.
Whats wrong with your brain?
As if there's something you can do to unseat him.
Accept that which you cannot CHANGE.

socialmediaman:
For me, it's completely unacceptable, not because I have any issue with Ekweremmadu, but because PDP poses a stumbling block to Buhari's success as president, just as a way of massaging their ego. To the best of my knowledge PDP meant no good for Nigerians and still means no good for Nigerians, and for whatever purpose it serves, they will try to make sure this government fails especially by frustrating passage of bills that will accelerate development and pursuance of Justice and development.

PDP to the best of my knowledge never faced so much parliamentary opposition as GEJ got all the help he needed, having PDP occupying that position is a big distraction to this government and therefore completely unacceptable.

But it was acceptable to you for Tambuwal to defect to the APC.

#Hypocrite

omenka:
Imagine someone like Metuh saying it is only right that PDP is given one of the top position in NASS that winners shouldn't take it all. How many times in the 16 years PDP held sway was the opposition given anything close to even the deputy speakership??

Ekweremadu's position is untenable and all within the legal framework of NASS should be done to get his out of there. Saraki goofed big time on this one- just goes to show how desperate he is for power.

And Tambuwal of APC was speaker of Gambian parliament?

Slynonny:
Daura President SHUT UP and stop talking thrash.
Whats wrong with your brain?
As if there's something you can do to unseat him.
Accept that which you cannot CHANGE.

STFU! What is thrashy about what he said? I think the real thrash is what you just posted.

I see tough times ahead for Saraki and his supporters.

Buhari should leave his post and become the deputy senate president if he's not ok with the choice of Ekweremadu ...


Old man talking like APC is still in the opposition.

Now that PDP has become the deputy senate president duara dullard should go and die. Ekweremadu was whatever he is because APC can not handle the position. They are killing them selves over ordinary majority leader imagine what would have happen if they were to choose deputy senate president

Sunnybobo3:


But it was acceptable to you for Tambuwal yo defect to the APC.

#Hypocrite

How does ekwerremadu becoming the deputy senate president correlate with tambuwal's defection to Apc?

omenka:
Imagine someone like Metuh saying it is only right that PDP is given one of the top position in NASS that winners shouldn't take it all. How many times in the 16 years PDP held sway was the opposition given anything close to even the deputy speakership??

Ekweremadu's position is untenable and all within the legal framework of NASS should be done to get his out of there. Saraki goofed big time on this one- just goes to show how desperate he is for power.

Cry from now till 2019 the reality of Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP as the deputy Senate President is what you will have to live with till 2019

Baba please wake up to reality

Maxymilliano:
Buhari should leave his post and become the deputy senate president if he's not ok with the choice of Ekweremadu ...


Old man talking like APC is still in the opposition.

3 bottles of oh mpa on my head for you

ionsman:

How does ekwerremadu becoming the deputy senate president correlate with tambuwal's defection to Apc?

Your hypocrisy stinks,I am even covering my nostrils right now

Lushcream:
What happened on the floor of the house is what exactly Buhari wants. Buhari prefer to work with Saraki and Dogara who are Godfatherless than Lawan/Akume/Gbajabiamala who has Tinubu's hand written all over them.

I see Buhari covertly whittling down Tinubu's power in the legislature just to have a smooth administration using Atiku/Saraki to do the dirt ....... .... Buhari will pacify Tinubu through the cabinet nonetheless Buhari has absolute control over the cabinet thus if any of Tinubu boys in the cabinet messed up, with one command Buhari will strip such person from office.

This is all to keep Tinubu under proper control because he is the most ambitious Politician in Nigeria.

Stop all this lies and propaganda against Tinubu...Haba!!! Conspiracies flying here and there...just keep it to yourself; its not good for the unity of these country...lets deal with the known...Saraki messed up twice! Why do you think nobody is complaining much about Dogara? Cos he won fair and square, with all the honourables partaking in the election...just as tambuwals own!!! Had saraki waited, he would still have won, so whats his impatience about? Just shows how treacherous he is....last tuesday, he had a lifeline to amend his ways with the party, yet he defied the party again...by going contrary to conventional ways of choosing presiding officers in the Senate...

Sometimes is good to watch people who castigates u day in,day out on your certain decisions u take in life, pass through the same cross road.
Karma is a bi.tch

Sunnybobo3:


And Tambuwal of APC was speaker of Gambian parliament?

Oga face your front. Is Ekweremadu a "decampee"??

Simple thing to comprehend go be una like calculus.

Please who's Tinubu? And what does he stand to gain.

Lushcreampost=35233058:
What happened on the floor of the house is what exactly Buhari wants. Buhari prefer to work with Saraki and Dogara who are Godfatherless than Lawan/Akume/Gbajabiamala who has Tinubu's hand written all over them.

I see Buhari covertly whittling down Tinubu's power in the legislature just to have a smooth administration using Atiku/Saraki to do the dirt ....... .... Buhari will pacify Tinubu through the cabinet nonetheless Buhari has absolute control over the cabinet thus if any of Tinubu boys in the cabinet messed up, with one command Buhari will strip such person from office.

This is all to keep Tinubu under proper control because he is the most ambitious Politician in Nigeria.

ionsman:

How does ekwerremadu becoming the deputy senate president correlate with tambuwal's defection to Apc?

Exactly the question I asked him when he replied my earlier comment siting Tambuwal's case. I wonder if he's so mentally handicapped the know the difference between both situations.

Ok

ionsman:

How does ekwerremadu becoming the deputy senate president correlate with tambuwal's defection to Apc?

I dont understand hw Saraki's case is synonimous to that of tambuwal...i mean, no trace of semblance @ all....Dogara did what tambuwal had done earlier, and APC didnt frown much, cos it was the general house decision...unlike Saraki's own...
To TANoids, 1+1=11 and NOT 2