SARAKI: APC senators part with Oshiomhole, say impeachment not a priority

All Progressives Congress (APC) senators appear to have shelved their threat to have Senate President Bukola Saraki impeached by all means.

This came as Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan on Friday said that the National Assembly members have buried their hatchet for the interest of the country and its citizens.

Both the Adams Oshiomhole led national leadership of the APC as well as their senators have constantly kept the media busy with threats of how they were going to throw Saraki out of the Senate President seat if he refuses to honourably resign.

The threats followed Saraki dumping of the ruling APC for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While the National Assembly was on break for 10 weeks, threats of how Saraki and others as the Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, who also defected to the PDP, flooded virtually all the media platforms making many Nigerians to anticipate crisis as soon as the lawmakers resume.

Lawan himself had said during the APC national convention in Abuja, where President Muhammadu Buhari was confirmed candidate of the party, “Those who cannot remember that there was a time in this country when nine was greater than 16, I want to remind them that we have come to that point again.

“Now, we have our chamber dominated and occupied by minority leaders. They remain minority leaders occupying our positions. Those who refuse to follow the part of honour and integrity by exiting; we will send them out with ignominy.”

The opposite however played out when the National Assembly resumed plenary this week Tuesday after their long recess.

Lawan spoke about the present situation of things at the National Assembly while fielding questions from State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday.

He said, “I don’t know what informed your view to anticipate crisis but let me tell you that NASS will continue to remain focused on national issues; we must be patriotic, nationalistic, we must put national interest above individual, parochial or partisan interest.

“We definitely have to bury our hatchets for us to work for Nigeria and Nigerians; perhaps that might have informed the disappointment of many people that there will be crisis in the National Assembly.

Read also: Court rejects move to stop Fayemi sacking LG chairmen

“Let me also say that disagreements are usual, in fact, they are very practical components of any parliament, when you have 2 to 3 parties or even within parties you will have views that may differ.

“It is traditional, it is usual for us to disagree maybe this disagreement may crop up and some other issues but for now our focus is on national interest.” he said

“The National Assembly is a Nigerian parliament and therefore the best thing to do is to ensure that Nigerians gets a good deal and for now the good deal is for Nigeria to have all those pending requests of Mr President approved by the National Assembly.

“I think the national interest, for now, override any other interest.”

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now