There is No Such Plan – Deputy Senate President

We’re Watching Developments at Senate – APC

Ten senators who are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have concluded a deal with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to support its candidate for the Senate Presidency if Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is forced to resign at the end of his on-going Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) trial, Daily Trust on Sunday learnt from impeccable political sources at the weekend. Senate President Saraki’s trial at CCT was accelerated by the tribunal’s chairman Justice Danladi Umar last week and he could lose his exalted position if he is convicted of the charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the 10 diehard pro-Saraki APC senators held a meeting with their PDP counterparts and discussed their next line of action if the Senate President is forced to step down. At the end of the meeting, they agreed that Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu would be put forward to replace Saraki. The 10 APC senators pledged to join hands with the 50 PDP senators to elect Ekweremadu as Saraki’s replacement if it comes to that.
According to our sources, the APC senators who signed the deal include two senators from Kwara, one from Kogi, three from Niger, one from Adamawa, one from Sokoto and two senators from Bauchi State. The 10 assured PDP senators that if Saraki is forced out, they will stand by them to elect Ekweremadu “no matter what their party does to persuade them.” They also promised that they will shun overtures even from President Muhammadu Buhari and team up with their PDP colleagues. At present, the Senate has 58 APC and 44 PDP senators with six vacancies. A switch of sides by eight APC senators is enough to turn PDP into a majority in the chamber.


A breakdown of the existing vacancies shows Rivers having three slots, while Kogi, Anambra and Imo have one slot each.
Explaining the reason for the APC senators’ planned action, sources said the pro-Saraki group is convinced that his on-going trial at the CCT is a political witch-hunt orchestrated by the Presidency. They cited as evidence the “haughty tenacity” of CCT’s chairman Justice Danladi Umar who last week refused to answer summons to appear before a Senate committee. The senators planned to order the police to arrest Umar and bring him to the committee, though they said they expected the Presidency to tell the police not to comply with the order even though it is constitutional.
Sources also told Daily Trust on Sunday that five senators who are former state governors have constituted themselves into a “peace group” to try to broker a deal with the presidency that will end Saraki’s current travails. Members of the group, our sources said, are Senators Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano, Ahmed Sani of Zamfara, Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto and Muhammadu Danjuma Goje of Gombe. Observers believe these five are also pro-Saraki senators, all of them being recent defectors from the PDP to APC. Their fear is that Saraki’s travails may one day be extended to other PDP defectors by the original APC leaders.
However, other sources told Daily Trust on Sunday that efforts to broker a truce appeared to be making headway as last week ended. They cite as evidence the CCT chairman’s sudden decision to postpone Saraki’s trial until May despite his initial insistence that it will continue daily until it is concluded. In return, sources said, Saraki prevailed on the Senate committee that summoned Justice Umar to revoke the summons. The long postponement is expected to be used to broker a deal between the two warring APC camps.
Already, their conflict has made it difficult to resolve the controversy over the 2016 federal budget, which the National Assembly passed last month but which the president did not assent to even though he refrained from formally vetoing it. Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that Presidency officials told House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara that they were relying on him to break the logjam but Dogara reportedly told them that they must deal with Saraki who is the overall leader of the National Assembly.
When contacted, Ekweremadu’s media, Alhaji Ismail Omipidan, denied there was such bid.
“And if there is no such bid, there cannot be any such pact. It’s another hot lie from the pit of hell in the series of futile attempts to divide and rule the Senate, inject bad blood, and polarize the solid support and solidarity, which the Senate President enjoys among his colleagues. Why are some people trying to bury a man who is not dead?
“The Senate President is having his day at the CCT and we have no doubt that the truth will prevail. There should be a limit to propaganda, unless we have tacitly reversed the age-long tenet of justice in a democracy from innocence until proven guilty to guilty until proven innocent. Peddlers of such blatant lies are, therefore, authors of confusion and instability and must not be taken seriously,” he said.
On his part, the deputy national vice chairman of the party (North-West), Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, said the party was watching the unfolding events with keen interest.
“Of course, we know that for some time there have meetings by various groups in the Senate. They’ve the right to do their meetings because the constitution has given them that right. However, from the partisan perspective in the Senate. There is no single member that went there on his own. He rose to that position under the platform of a political party. For us as leaders, we’re telling them all the time to be mindful of any action they would take.
“Similarly, as a political party, we don’t want to mix up things. We want the CCT case to be decided on its merit first before we would take our formal position. In the meantime, we know we’re in the majority in the Senate and we would remain as such. We’re talking to our senators and they know what the party did for them,” he said.
But the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, said he was not aware of the pact, adding that “we are united and no APC senator will vote against his or her party.
“Mark my words, no APC senator will vote against his party. We are together and we are working for the actualisation of our party campaign promises.
“Do you want to bury a living person alive? Saraki is still in court and his case is still ongoing, so all this noise is unnecessary,” he said in a phone interview.
Also in his reaction, the national legal adviser of the party, Dr Muiz Banire, said there was no way the position of the Senate president can be taken over by the opposition PDP in the event Saraki leaves.
When contacted last night in a telephone interview, a national officer of the PDP who craved anonymity told Daily Trust on Sunday that the party was aware of the development and that the PDP would be happy to take over the Senate Presidency.
“We have been in alliance for long because Saraki was a PDP member. When he was in the New PDP, which later merged with other parties to form the APC, we were still with him and him with us, even at the level of his Senate Presidency. So we will be happy to take over the Senate because the APC never wanted to recognise the New PDP in its fold,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, declined comment on the issue.


http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/10-apc-senators-pledge-votes-for-ekweremadu/143801.html#CWao1WujKwmmR9Va.99

Coconut head John Oyegun must hear this. I must report to him

Some are still undecided, expect more to pledge allegiance should Saraki lose at the CCT.

PDP perfecting plans to take Senate President's seat,right? Forgetting that the rule that brought in Saraki and Ekweremadu is flawed.

Jokers, probably thinking we still live in a time where impunity was the order of the day

May this guy case finish make we hear another story

LMFashions:
Coconut head John Oyegun must hear this. I must report to him

Oyegun is not under Nigeria's payroll so you have no right to insult him. Oyegun is old enough to be your granddad or at least your dad, so you have to respect him. Can you refer to your dad as 'coconut head'?!

Someone's about to have their ignorant ass scammed.

Do you guys remember Amaechi's story? Do you remember the "pledges" that were made with names written and signatures signed?? When the actual process of voting was carried out, what happened?

You know, back then since it was the era of cluelessness and lawlessness, and the era of voodoo arithmetic, PDP insisted Jang won the election after getting three votes less than Amaechi. Jang and his gang insisted on their own interpretation of the result relying on the fact that they have more names on the list of those who pledged to support them than they do on the ballot!!

In politics of this nature, nothing weighs less than a promise.

Learn fellas, learn!

With more news of this nature, I see a very frosty relationship brewing between Saraki and his deputy very soon.


Edit:

Isn't it sooooooooo funny how some people shouting "Biafra or death to Nigeria" on some thread just above this one are the same people shouting "Ekweremadu for Senate president"?? Is he going to be the Senate president of Biafra?

What a confused bunch of miscreants.

Unblockable:


Oyegun is not under Nigeria's payroll so you have no right to insult him. Oyegun is old enough to be your granddad or at least your dad, so you have to respect him. Can you refer to your dad as 'coconut head'?!

GEJ is old enough to be ur father, can u refer to ur father as a drunk and clueless?

Ur hypocrisy stinks

If only ekweremadu will do what is best for the poor and not what is best for business. Maybe,they have promised him senate president.

Progressive01:
Someone's about to have their ignorant ass scammed.

E pain omenka

Same way the dullardic general scammed his brain washed zombies.

Suffering inside and smiling outside.

@topic, I've said it severally, Whether Saraki goes or stay, It's a win/win for the opposition.

LMFashions:


GEJ is old enough to be ur father, can u refer to ur father as a drunk and clueless?

Ur hypocrisy stinks

Good.

Buhari is a dullardic illiterate, What is good for Greece is good for Uganda.

Changes in the Senate house, we pray bring economic development.

SeverusSnape:

Good.

Buhari is a dullardic illiterate, What is good for Greece is good for Uganda.

Don't mind the hypocrite. They'll receive in full measure the same coin they used on GEJ.

LMFashions:


Don't mind the hypocrite. They'll receive in full measure the same coin they used on GEJ.

Exactly, Some of them are even begging us to reduce the way we insult the dullard.

They are telling us to make "constructive criticism".

Ekweremadu for Senate president joor.

Story

SeverusSnape:

Exactly, Some of them are even begging us to reduce the way we insult the dullard.

They are telling us to make "constructive criticism".

Ekweremadu for Senate president joor.

Lol .. They even dey try blackmail ..

They have even reduced the way they shout IPOB .. and plead with us to be patriotic

Ike Ekweremadu for SP

LMFashions:


GEJ is old enough to be ur father, can u refer to ur father as a drunk and clueless?

Ur hypocrisy stinks

Look at what this guy is saying. You've been calling Buhari names but I don't respond because I feel he's a Public figure. You insult him not even criticize. What you say to Buhari won't be tolerated against Oyegun. Did we insult Bamanga Tukur like this when he was the PDP' Chairman? No! Because we felt he was old enough to be our great granddad. Oyegun is not the President so direct your frustration to the NASS members who have milked us dry.

just waiting for the day

Ekweremadu is a strong politician. It will be fool hardy for tinibu to think he can remove Saraki and install his stooge, in a senate with the likes of David Mark, Goodswill Akpabio, etc. it is most predictable that if Saraki looses the SP position (which by the way is MOST UNLIKELY) then undoubtedly Ekweremadu will emerge the new SP.

dunkem21:



Lol .. They even dey try blackmail ..

They have even reduced the way they shout IPOB .. and plead with us to be patriotic

Ike Ekweremadu for SP

Patriotism means supporting Ekweremadu for SP, Ike is Not a corrupt man like Saraki.

Saraki will definitely leave and his so called supporters will show themselves as fair wind supporters.


It happened before, it shall happen again.


BTW, Nigerians mumu dey touch the sky. We spend all our days now guessing and making permutations about who will and will not succeed Saraki, while fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, economic hardship and a dictatorship is descending heavily on us. This is a huge distraction because whoever becomes the Senate President will only change the fortunes of those close to him/her. It won't change that of the country cos he's a primus interparis.

Unblockable:


Look at what this guy is saying. You've been calling Buhari names but I don't respond because I feel he's a Public figure. You insult him not even criticize. What you say to Buhari won't be tolerated against Oyegun. Did we insult Bamanga Tukur like this when he was the PDP' Chairman? No! Because we felt he was old enough to be our great granddad. Oyegun is not the President so direct your frustration to the NASS members who have milked us dry.

Is FFK a public figure? But u and ur fellow zombies have hauled unthinkable insults at him. Stomach it man because more are still coming.

Pls someone should wake coconut head John Oyegun up, he needs to see this.

What will be must be

John Oyegun is a bastard, kill yourself

LMFashions:


Is FFK a public figure? But u and ur fellow zombies have hauled unthinkable insults at him. Stomach it man because more are still coming.

Pls someone should wake coconut head John Oyegun up, he needs to see this.

Has Oyegun ever been invited by the EFFC either during Jonathan's tenure or any other period? FFK on the other hand, is a known thief. You who now support FFK once blasted him when he was still in APC. So stop the hypocrisy!

Unblockable:


Oyegun is not under Nigeria's payroll so you have no right to insult him. Oyegun is old enough to be your granddad or at least your dad, so you have to respect him. Can you refer to your dad as 'coconut head'?!

But when you will open mouth to insult Jonathan you wil never remember he can be ur great grandfather.

Mtcheeewww!

If Ekweremadu is a witch,he should not take that seat because he will be hunted.

Oyegun is a bloody ass gay,I hope someone does not commit suicide over this!!

Unblockable:


Has Oyegun ever been invited by the EFFC either during Jonathan's tenure or any other period? FFK on the other hand, is a known thief. You who now support FFK once blasted him when he was still in APC. So stop the hypocrisy!

Is Oyegun your father or grandpa? Ask him to resign and go and chill in his recliners in Edo state. He is old enough to retire instead of disgracing himself upandan as a toothless bulldog party chair. There are 3 factions in APC and he is not a strong member of any. He is just a floating member of APC in Abuja. The Buhari/El rufai faction he is running after does not trust him enough to make him their member.

The Tinubu/Osinbajo faction are waiting to deal with him and strip him of that office.

The Atiku/Saraki faction will not hesitate to jail him for the numerous deals he has been passing under the table and for being a spineless and cowardly fellow who cannot stand his ground.

mobaking:
If Ekweremadu is a witch,he should not take that seat because he will be hunted.

Since the hunter has learnt to to shoot without missing,the bird has also learnt how to fly without perching.APC should just forget about the 8th senate,they will never be able to install their stooge as senate president!! With the calibre of politicians in this senate,that would be mission impossible

chukwudi44:


Since the hunter has learnt to to shoot without missing,the bird has also learnt how to fly without perching.APC should just forget about the 8th senate,they will never be able to install their stooge as senate president!! With the calibre of politicians in this senate,that would be mission impossible

You are right! A strong and independent Senate President ensures that his colleagues are well 'fed' and taken 'care' of.

Some of the APC Senators supporting their party's position are only doing it on the surface cos they know that very soon, it shall be another election year and they'll have to return to their constituencies with largesse to 'buy' their votes again.

Kabiru Marafa is only shouting to attract the attention and support of his party in his Governorship bid in Zamfara state, come 2019. He also wants Chairman committee on appropriations(if his candidate becomes the SP) so he can make enough money for his ambition. In all, the Senators shall support the side that guarantees them financial stability and indpendence. This is why Saraki had been winning so far; he holds a better promise than the party.