Another crisis brews in Senate

Another round of crisis may be brewing in the upper federal legislative chamber as the Unity Forum that supported Senator Ahmed Lawan for the Senate President’s position is giving conditions under which it will agree to work with the leadership of the Senate under Bukola Saraki.
It was gathered, that the new peace terms accounted for the refusal of the South-West Caucus to fill the slot of the Chief Whip of the Senate allotted to it.
The group insists, that Alhaji Ali Ndume and Alhaji Bala Ibn Na’Allah step down as Senate Leader and Deputy Senate Leader respectively.
The group wants Dr. Ahmed Lawan and Sen. George Akume as Senate Leader and deputy respectively as canvassed by the APC leadership.
But loyalists of Saraki yesterday said “the conditions are like turning back the hand of the clock.”
Some pro-Saraki Senators prefer juicy committees for those in Lawan’s camp.
Lawan’s supporters, according to investigation said that Saraki cannot be seeking reconciliation without making concessions to show respect for party supremacy.
It was gathered that the two sides had met with President Muhammadu Buhari on how to restore the lingering Cold War in the Senate.
While pro-Saraki Senators are pushing for an unconditional reconciliation, those in Lawan’s camp said the Senate President should defer to the party and the crisis will be over immediately he does so.
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The loyalists of Saraki met with President Muhammadu Buhari for reconciliation without making any concrete offer to pacify the aggrieved.

Read also: Fresh crisis looms over Senate committees

“They only said if all the parties are reconciled, they know what to do to accommodate all. That is a flat and tricky reconciliation proposal.
“They were not forthcoming on the fate of Lawan and Akume who are central to the politics in the Senate.”
A respected Senator said: “The aggrieved Senators want Ndume and Na’Allah to step down for Lawan and Akume in line with the wishes of the party. They said the day Saraki defers to the party, the disagreement within the APC Caucus in the Senate will end.
“The Lawan group said it has nothing personal against Saraki but he should make concessions too in order to put the crisis behind the Senate. The loyalists of the President of the Senate want to eat their cake and have it.”
A third source said: “When the Abdulsalami Committee members met with Saraki, they expressed concern that the crisis in the Senate was heating up the polity.
“They also advised Saraki to accommodate all and ensure reconciliation to stabilize the Senate.”
A Senator said: “Our colleagues from the South-West prefer not to fill the Chief Whip slot at all if Saraki does not make concessions.
“So far, they have spurned the office in spite of the fact that a high-ranking Senator, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, has been recommended for it.”

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