It appears that the victories of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives have been sealed. President Muhammadu Buhari has recognized them as the new leaders of the 8th National Assembly and promised to work with them.
The recognition of Saraki and Dogara was contrary to the position of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Muhammed had earlier described the outcomes election as the ‘ highest level of indiscipline and treachery’.
Muhammed who was obviously confounded by the development stated, ”Senator Bukola and Hon. Dogara are not the candidates of the APC and a majority of its National Assembly members-elect for the positions of Senate President and House Speaker.
“The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives. All National Assembly members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that decision.
”The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members,” the party said in a statement issued in Abuja Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
”Consequently, the APC leadership is meeting in a bid to reestablish discipline in the party and to mete out the necessary sanctions to all those involved in what is nothing but a monumental act of indiscipline
and betrayal to subject the party to ridicule and create obstacles for the new administration ” it said.
He stressed that. ”There can be no higher level of treachery, disloyalty and insincerity within any party,” the party said, vowing to resolve the matter using all constitutional and legal means available to it.
Meanwhile, Buhari carpeted the APC over the issue. The President in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina he said the process was constitutional.
“Nonetheless the President took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred,” the statement said.
“To this end, President Buhari said he is ready to work with those elected.
“President Buhari had said in an earlier statement that he did not have any preferred candidate for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected.
“That sentiment still stands. Though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party”, Adesina said in a statement.
