The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it has uncovered sinister plans by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to attack its Senators, even as the party says Senate President Bukola Saraki and his cohorts are only postponing doomsday by not reconvening.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports APC Ag. National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena, in a statement on Tuesday made this known while stressing that the change of Senate leadership is imminent.
“As Chairman of the 8th National Assembly, Saraki’s decision not to reconvene the National Assembly done with the support of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara further buttresses our position that Saraki is ever ready to pursue his selfish interests over National Interest.
“This is another brazen display of his penchant for abuse of powers and sabotage of government, however the cost and implication.
“While Saraki and his cohorts continue to postpone their doomsday regarding the imminent Senate leadership change, the yet-to-be considered 2019 budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dangerously delayed.
“Clearly, Saraki’s actions as Senate President now bother on high treason.,” the statement read.
TNG reports the NASS was billed to reconvene today to consider the INEC 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.
However, Saraki and Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara , through Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Senate President and Turaki Hassan, Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs) to Speaker, House of Representatives in a statement had given reasons why the NASS was unable to reconvene.
According to the statement, the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018 before the reconvening of the NASS.
“The joint committees were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.
“However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.
“Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, speaking on the sinister plans by the PDP to attack APC Senators, Mr. Yekini in the APC statement said, “the plot was hatched in the private residence of a PDP leader in Maitama-Abuja on Sunday night.
The statement reads:
“Our attention has been drawn to sinister plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to attack some All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators as part of the PDP’s desperate bid to ensure that Dr. Bukola Saraki clings to the position of Senate President.
“By this statement, we call on security agents to protect APC Senators. If any Senator is harmed, the PDP and Saraki should be held directly responsible. We call on security agencies to also closely monitor the activities of some PDP leaders including Saraki because the plan to attack APC Senators is real and imminent.
“We were informed that the plot was hatched in the private residence of a PDP leader in Maitama-Abuja on Sunday night. The meeting was attended by 15 pro-Saraki Senators including the Senate President himself.
“We learnt that the PDP expressed worry over the APC’s Senate majority and considered several options to stop the APC from taking over the Senate leadership among which is attacking some APC Senators to ensure their inability to attend legislative sittings.
“The PDP have recruited thugs for this purpose, we have now learnt.
“During Sunday’s meeting, the PDP Senators planned several types of attack, one of which is to lure some of them (APC Senators) out at night in the guise of inviting Senators to a political settlement meeting and thereafter instigate a violent confrontation during the meeting and unleash standby PDP thugs on APC Senators” Our source privy to the meeting informed us.
“This revelation has not come to us as a surprise because the Senate President through proxies has made several failed attempts to buy over APC Senators with N100million each.
“As a Party, we don’t believe in inducing lawmakers to achieve our legitimate goal of removing Saraki as Senate President. We will get the support of some PDP Senators to get the required 2/3 vote and impeach Saraki. We are already talking to some of PDP Senators who believe and support the direction of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to achieve our legitimate goal.
“We reiterate our call for Saraki’s immediate resignation as Senate President. He cannot lead the APC majority Senate. But if he fails to resign honourably, we will impeach him. The PDP’s propaganda and threat of violence cannot save him”.